Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Casablanca, Morocco:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Casablanca–Anfa Airport (CAS), Casablanca, Morocco would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,893 miles (or 7,875 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 Casablanca–Anfa 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 Casablanca–Anfa 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):

• Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
• To provide air defense of the base, the United States Army established the Ellsworth AFB Defense Area in 1957 and constructed Nike-Ajax Surface-to-air missile sites for air defense.
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• In March 1944, heavy bomber operational training ended and the 225th Army Air Force Base Unit began training of replacement personnel for deployed heavy bombardment units in the overseas combat theaters.
• 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 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.
• In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".

Facts about Casablanca–Anfa Airport (CAS):

• Casablanca–Anfa Airport (CAS) currently has only 1 runway.
• Built in the 1920s by the French colonial government, Anfa Airport was the primary airport for Casablanca until the United States Air Force closed its base at Nouasseur in 1959.
• In addition to being known as "Casablanca–Anfa Airport", another name for CAS is "Anfa Airport (Casablanca)".
• Anfa Airport was one of the primary Allied objectives during Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, and was seized in the initial landings in the Casablanca area.
• During World War II, Anfa Airport was taken over by the Vichy French government and used as an airport as well as an air base for the Vichy French Air Force with its limited aircraft allowed by the armistice with Nazi Germany.
• The furthest airport from Casablanca–Anfa Airport (CAS) is Kaitaia Airport (KAT), which is nearly antipodal to Casablanca–Anfa Airport (meaning Casablanca–Anfa Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Kaitaia Airport), and is located 12,319 miles (19,826 kilometers) away in Kaitaia, New Zealand.
• Because of Casablanca–Anfa Airport's relatively low elevation of 203 feet, planes can take off or land at Casablanca–Anfa 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.
• The closest airport to Casablanca–Anfa Airport (CAS) is Mohammed V International Airport (CMN), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) SSE of CAS.