Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Farnborough, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Farnborough Airport (FAB), Farnborough, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,380 miles (or 7,050 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 Farnborough 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 Farnborough 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):

• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• Ellsworth Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 10 miles northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota just north of Box Elder, South Dakota.
• 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.
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• 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 October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
• 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 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.

Facts about Farnborough Airport (FAB):

• During the 4 September 1984 Farnborough Airshow, a de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo was destroyed when it struck Runway 25 during landing after a steep short-final descent while demonstrating its STOL capabilities to spectators and customers.
• The closest airport to Farnborough Airport (FAB) is Blackbushe Airport (BBS), which is located only 5 miles (7 kilometers) NW of FAB.
• Farnborough Airport (FAB) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Farnborough Airport (FAB) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,884 miles (19,125 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The first powered flight in Britain was at Farnborough on 5 October 1908, when Samuel Cody took off in his British Army Aeroplane No 1.
• In addition to being known as "Farnborough Airport", another name for FAB is "TAG London Farnborough Airport".
• The airport was originally restricted to 28,000 movements each year, of which no more than 2,500 were permitted at weekends.
• Since the peak in 2007, the number of landings and take-offs covered by the planning consent has fallen by 14%.
• TAG Aviation is a multinational business aviation operator, with aircraft based in Farnborough, Switzerland, and Madrid.
• Because of Farnborough Airport's relatively low elevation of 238 feet, planes can take off or land at Farnborough 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.