Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and David, Chiriquí Province, Panama:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV), David, Chiriquí Province, Panama would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,764 miles (or 4,449 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 Enrique Malek 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 Enrique Malek 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):

• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.
• 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.
• 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 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 addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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 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.
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.

Facts about Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV):

• Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV) currently has only 1 runway.
• After the conflict, the field was renewed and modernized to improve its facilities and is now used for international flights.
• The closest airport to Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV) is Coto 47 Airport (OTR), which is located 39 miles (63 kilometers) WNW of DAV.
• On 13 July 1943, there was an accident at this airfield that claimed the life of 12 airmen when their B-17 Flying Fortress stalled during approach and crashed in the runway.
• Because of Enrique Malek International Airport's relatively low elevation of 89 feet, planes can take off or land at Enrique Malek 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 furthest airport from Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Enrique Malek International Airport (meaning Enrique Malek International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,170 miles (19,585 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• An estimated US$12,000,000.00 improvement fund has been passed by the Panamanian legislature that will include runway expansion.
• In addition to being known as "Enrique Malek International Airport", another name for DAV is "Aeropuerto Internacional Enrique Malek".