Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Benghazi, Libya:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Benina International Airport (BEN), Benghazi, Libya would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,076 miles (or 9,778 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Ellsworth Air Force Base and Benina International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Ellsworth Air Force Base and Benina International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• On 1 June 1971, SAC deactivated the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division and by October of that year, an upgraded LGM-30F Minuteman II also replaced the Minuteman I missiles.
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• An AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar was added in 1956.
• The mission of the 28th Bomb Wing is to deliver decisive combat power for global response.
• When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
• The furthest airport from Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,579 miles (17,026 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
• The closest airport to Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) is Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) S of RCA.

Facts about Benina International Airport (BEN):

• In March 2011 , forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi bombed the airport.
• In addition to being known as "Benina International Airport", another name for BEN is "مطار بنينة الدولي".
• The furthest airport from Benina International Airport (BEN) is Mangaia Island Airport (MGS), which is located 11,723 miles (18,866 kilometers) away in Mangaia Island, Cook Islands.
• Benina International Airport (BEN) has 2 runways.
• Because of Benina International Airport's relatively low elevation of 433 feet, planes can take off or land at Benina International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• A new terminal with a capacity of 5 million passengers will be developed north of the existing runway at Benina International under a 720 million LYD first-stage contract awarded to Canada's SNC-Lavalin.
• During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force during the Eastern Desert Campaign.
• The closest airport to Benina International Airport (BEN) is Al Bayda - Al abraq Airport (LAQ), which is located 110 miles (177 kilometers) ENE of BEN.