Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Rome, Italy:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA), Rome, Italy would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,290 miles (or 8,513 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 Ciampino–G. B. Pastine 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 Ciampino–G. B. Pastine 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):

• 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.
• The base experienced one of its worst peacetime tragedies in March 1953 when an RB-36 and its entire crew of 23 crashed in Newfoundland while returning from a routine exercise in Europe.
• In March 1994, Ellsworth welcomed the 34th Bomb Squadron, a geographically separated unit that was awaiting airfield upgrades before it could return to its parent organization, the 366th Wing, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
• After the Army closed their facilities, the military housing at the Nike Integrated Fire Control sites was transferred to control of Ellsworth, and was used as Air Force military family housing until about 1990.
• Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".

Facts about Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA):

• After decades of stagnation in scheduled traffic, low-cost carriers have boosted Ciampino.
• During World War II, the airport was captured by Allied forces in June 1944, and afterward became a United States Army Air Forces military airfield.
• There is no rail transport at Ciampino Airport.
• Ciampino Airport was opened in 1916 and is one of the oldest airports still in operation.
• The closest airport to Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA) is Fiumicino – Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO), which is located only 18 miles (30 kilometers) W of CIA.
• The furthest airport from Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,958 miles (19,244 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport handled 4,749,251 passengers last year.
• Because of Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport's relatively low elevation of 427 feet, planes can take off or land at Ciampino–G. B. Pastine 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.
• The terminals were extended at the beginning of 2007.
• In addition to being known as "Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport", other names for CIA include "Rome Ciampino Airport" and "Ciampino–Aeroporto Internazionale G. B. Pastine".
• Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA) currently has only 1 runway.