Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Dallas, Texas, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Dallas Love Field (DAL), Dallas, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 849 miles (or 1,367 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 relatively short distance between Ellsworth Air Force Base and Dallas Love Field, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• 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.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Dallas Love Field (DAL):

• On November 29, 1949 American Airlines Flight 157, a Douglas DC-6 en route from New York City to Dallas and Mexico City with 46 passengers and crew, slid off Runway 36 after the flight crew lost control on final approach.
• With the sudden end of World War I in November 1918, the future operational status of Love Field was unknown.
• Dallas Love Field handled 7,960,809 passengers last year.
• Needing a larger airport, Dallas and Fort Worth agreed to build Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport.
• Dallas Love Field (DAL) has 3 runways.
• The furthest airport from Dallas Love Field (DAL) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,918 miles (17,571 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Because of Dallas Love Field's relatively low elevation of 487 feet, planes can take off or land at Dallas Love Field 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 865th Aero Squadron, was formed at Love Field in March 1918 as a support unit for JN-4 aircraft repair and maintenance.
• The closest airport to Dallas Love Field (DAL) is Addison Airport (ADS), which is located only 8 miles (14 kilometers) N of DAL.
• Several terminal expansion programs were fueled by the boom in air travel during the 1960s.