Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Ballina, New South Wales, Australia:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(28°49'59"S by 153°33'42"E)
Distance from RCA to BNK:
8,205.71 miles (13,205.77 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- BNK Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about BNK
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to BNK
- List of Nearest Airports to BNK
- Map of Furthest Airports from BNK
- List of Furthest Airports from BNK
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK), Ballina, New South Wales, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,206 miles (or 13,206 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 Ballina Byron Gateway 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 Ballina Byron Gateway Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCA / KRCA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from RCA |
| More Information: | RCA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BNK / YBNA |
| Airport Name: | Ballina Byron Gateway Airport |
| Location: | Ballina, New South Wales, Australia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 28°49'59"S by 153°33'42"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Ballina Shire Council |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 7 feet (2 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BNK |
| More Information: | BNK Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- 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.
- When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
- 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 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.
- The airfield was again temporarily shut down from September 1946 – March 1947 and underwent a major construction program to upgrade the temporary wartime facilities to that of a permanent base.
- In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
- Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.
Facts about Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK):
- Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Ballina Byron Gateway Airport's relatively low elevation of 7 feet, planes can take off or land at Ballina Byron Gateway 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.
- It is 5 km from the Ballina CBD, in Southern Cross Drive.
- The closest airport to Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK) is Lismore Airport (LSY), which is located only 18 miles (29 kilometers) W of BNK.
- The furthest airport from Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK) is La Palma Airport (SPC), which is located 11,911 miles (19,168 kilometers) away in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain.
- Ballina Byron Gateway Airport handled 291,322 passengers last year.
- The upgrade will in the future involve a taxiway being built for the runway and many more facilities for the airport.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.04 miles (11.33 km) S | Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |     |
| 2 | 41.93 miles (67.49 km) WNW | Black Hills Airport (SPF) | Spearfish, South Dakota, United States | |
| 3 | 82.62 miles (132.96 km) SSE | Pine Ridge Airport (XPR) | Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 4 | 90.44 miles (145.55 km) S | Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) | Chadron, Nebraska, United States | |
| 5 | 122.78 miles (197.60 km) W | Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) | Gillette, Wyoming, United States | |
| 6 | 138.94 miles (223.59 km) E | Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) | Pierre, South Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 142.03 miles (228.58 km) N | Bowman Municipal Airport (BWM) | Bowman, North Dakota, United States | |
| 8 | 145.26 miles (233.77 km) S | Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA) | Alliance, Nebraska, United States | |
| 9 | 148.71 miles (239.33 km) SW | Converse County Airport (DGW) | Douglas, Wyoming, United States | |
| 10 | 153.78 miles (247.49 km) SSW | Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR) | Torrington, Wyoming, United States | |
| 11 | 154.79 miles (249.12 km) SE | Miller Field (VTN) | Valentine, Nebraska, United States | |
| 12 | 159.20 miles (256.21 km) S | Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) | Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States | |
| 13 | 162.60 miles (261.68 km) NE | Mobridge Municipal Airport (MBG) | Mobridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 14 | 183.63 miles (295.52 km) N | Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) | Dickinson, North Dakota, United States | |
| 15 | 188.89 miles (303.99 km) SE | Ainsworth Regional Airport (ANW) | Ainsworth, Nebraska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,579.32 miles (17,025.72 km) SSE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 10,460.72 miles (16,834.85 km) SE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,437.71 miles (16,797.83 km) SE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 4 | 10,415.77 miles (16,762.51 km) SE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 10,301.11 miles (16,577.99 km) ESE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 10,292.17 miles (16,563.61 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,268.77 miles (16,525.95 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,252.53 miles (16,499.80 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,244.09 miles (16,486.22 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,200.19 miles (16,415.58 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,193.03 miles (16,404.05 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,186.88 miles (16,394.16 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,186.40 miles (16,393.38 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,176.73 miles (16,377.83 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,162.30 miles (16,354.60 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 18.26 miles (29.39 km) W | Lismore Airport (LSY) | Lismore, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 2 | 19.90 miles (32.03 km) SSW | Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome (EVH) | Evans Head, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 3 | 46.31 miles (74.52 km) N | Gold Coast Airport (OOL) | Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia | |
| 4 | 71.59 miles (115.22 km) SSW | Clarence Valley Regional Airport (GFN) | Grafton, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 5 | 103.76 miles (166.99 km) NNW | Brisbane Airport (BNE) | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | |
| 6 | 106.14 miles (170.82 km) SSW | Coffs Harbour Airport (CFS) | Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 7 | 126.35 miles (203.33 km) W | Stanthorpe Airport (SNH) | Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia | |
| 8 | 126.93 miles (204.27 km) WSW | Glen Innes Airport (GLI) | Glen Innes, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 9 | 143.12 miles (230.33 km) NNW | Caloundra Airport (CUD) | Caloundra, Queensland, Australia | |
| 10 | 156.74 miles (252.24 km) N | Sunshine-Coast-Airport (MCY) | Marcoola, Queensland, Australia | |
| 11 | 161.94 miles (260.62 km) SSW | Kempsey Airport (KPS) | Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 12 | 162.80 miles (262.00 km) WSW | Inverell Airport (IVR) | Inverell, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 13 | 165.36 miles (266.12 km) SW | Armidale Airport (ARM) | Armidale, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 14 | 183.89 miles (295.95 km) NNW | Gympie Airport (GYP) | Gympie, Queensland, Australia | |
| 15 | 184.59 miles (297.07 km) SSW | Port Macquarie Airport (PQQ) | Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,910.65 miles (19,168.29 km) W | La Palma Airport (SPC) | La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 2 | 11,873.78 miles (19,108.94 km) W | La Gomera Airport (GMZ) | Alajeró / San Sebastián, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 3 | 11,869.57 miles (19,102.18 km) N | Santa Maria Airport (SMA) | Santa Maria, Portugal | |
| 4 | 11,835.10 miles (19,046.70 km) W | Tenerife-South Airport (TFS) | Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 5 | 11,824.35 miles (19,029.40 km) W | Tenerife North Airport (TFN) | Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 6 | 11,819.80 miles (19,022.07 km) N | João Paulo II Airport (PDL) | Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal | |
| 7 | 11,804.62 miles (18,997.65 km) WNW | Madeira Airport (FNC) | Funchal, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 8 | 11,771.60 miles (18,944.50 km) WNW | Porto Santo Airport (PXO) | Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 9 | 11,762.36 miles (18,929.64 km) W | Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) | Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 10 | 11,755.39 miles (18,918.42 km) N | Pico Airport (PIX) | Pico Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 11 | 11,754.89 miles (18,917.61 km) N | Horta International Airport (HOR) | Horta, Azores, Portugal | |
| 12 | 11,749.78 miles (18,909.39 km) N | Lajes Air Base (TER) | Lajes, Azores, Portugal | |
| 13 | 11,722.16 miles (18,864.94 km) N | Graciosa Airport (GRW) | Graciosa Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 14 | 11,696.61 miles (18,823.82 km) WNW | Dakhla Airport (VIL) | Dakhla, Western Sahara | |
| 15 | 11,674.21 miles (18,787.78 km) W | Fuerteventura Airport (FUE) | Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain | |