Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Apia, Samoa:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(13°50'53"S by 171°44'30"W)
Distance from RCA to FGI:
5,874.56 miles (9,454.17 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- FGI Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about FGI
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to FGI
- List of Nearest Airports to FGI
- Map of Furthest Airports from FGI
- List of Furthest Airports from FGI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Fagali'i Airport (FGI), Apia, Samoa would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,875 miles (or 9,454 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 Fagali'i 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 Fagali'i Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCA / KRCA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from RCA |
| More Information: | RCA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | FGI / NSFI |
| Airport Name: | Fagali'i Airport |
| Location: | Apia, Samoa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 13°50'53"S by 171°44'30"W |
| Area Served: | Apia |
| Operator/Owner: | Samoa Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from FGI |
| More Information: | FGI Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- In 1986, the base and the 28 BMW made extensive preparations to phase out the aging B-52 fleet and become the second home for the advanced B-1B Lancer.
- Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- 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.
- An AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar was added in 1956.
- 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.
Facts about Fagali'i Airport (FGI):
- The proposal to re-open the airport was controversial and attracted criticism both for the safety and environmental issues with the airport's configuration and for the potential burden on local communities should the scheme fail.
- Fagali'i Airport (FGI) currently has only 1 runway.
- On 1 July 2009, Polynesian Airlines reopened Fagali'i airport and resumed a service that included international flights to Pago Pago, American Samoa.
- The furthest airport from Fagali'i Airport (FGI) is Zinder Airport (ZND), which is nearly antipodal to Fagali'i Airport (meaning Fagali'i Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Zinder Airport), and is located 12,388 miles (19,936 kilometers) away in Zinder, Niger.
- The closest airport to Fagali'i Airport (FGI) is Faleolo International Airport (APW), which is located only 18 miles (29 kilometers) W of FGI.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.04 miles (11.33 km) S | Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |     |
| 2 | 41.93 miles (67.49 km) WNW | Black Hills Airport (SPF) | Spearfish, South Dakota, United States | |
| 3 | 82.62 miles (132.96 km) SSE | Pine Ridge Airport (XPR) | Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 4 | 90.44 miles (145.55 km) S | Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) | Chadron, Nebraska, United States | |
| 5 | 122.78 miles (197.60 km) W | Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) | Gillette, Wyoming, United States | |
| 6 | 138.94 miles (223.59 km) E | Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) | Pierre, South Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 142.03 miles (228.58 km) N | Bowman Municipal Airport (BWM) | Bowman, North Dakota, United States | |
| 8 | 145.26 miles (233.77 km) S | Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA) | Alliance, Nebraska, United States | |
| 9 | 148.71 miles (239.33 km) SW | Converse County Airport (DGW) | Douglas, Wyoming, United States | |
| 10 | 153.78 miles (247.49 km) SSW | Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR) | Torrington, Wyoming, United States | |
| 11 | 154.79 miles (249.12 km) SE | Miller Field (VTN) | Valentine, Nebraska, United States | |
| 12 | 159.20 miles (256.21 km) S | Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) | Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States | |
| 13 | 162.60 miles (261.68 km) NE | Mobridge Municipal Airport (MBG) | Mobridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 14 | 183.63 miles (295.52 km) N | Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) | Dickinson, North Dakota, United States | |
| 15 | 188.89 miles (303.99 km) SE | Ainsworth Regional Airport (ANW) | Ainsworth, Nebraska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,579.32 miles (17,025.72 km) SSE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 10,460.72 miles (16,834.85 km) SE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,437.71 miles (16,797.83 km) SE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 4 | 10,415.77 miles (16,762.51 km) SE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 10,301.11 miles (16,577.99 km) ESE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 10,292.17 miles (16,563.61 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,268.77 miles (16,525.95 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,252.53 miles (16,499.80 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,244.09 miles (16,486.22 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,200.19 miles (16,415.58 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,193.03 miles (16,404.05 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,186.88 miles (16,394.16 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,186.40 miles (16,393.38 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,176.73 miles (16,377.83 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,162.30 miles (16,354.60 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 17.94 miles (28.86 km) W | Faleolo International Airport (APW) | Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa | |
| 2 | 35.43 miles (57.03 km) WNW | Maota (Salelologa) Airport (MXS) | Maota, Samoa | |
| 3 | 64.04 miles (103.07 km) WNW | Asau Airport (AAU) | Asau, Samoa | |
| 4 | 75.87 miles (122.10 km) ESE | Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) | Pago Pago, American Samoa | |
| 5 | 140.80 miles (226.60 km) E | Ofu Airport (OFU) | Ofu, American Samoa | |
| 6 | 151.81 miles (244.31 km) E | Tau Airport (TAV) | Tau, American Samoa | |
| 7 | 157.45 miles (253.38 km) E | Fitiuta Airport (FTI) | Fiti‘uta, American Samoa, United States | |
| 8 | 285.85 miles (460.04 km) WSW | Mata'aho Airport (NFO) | Niuafo'ou, Tonga | |
| 9 | 302.13 miles (486.24 km) W | Wallis Island (WLS) | Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 10 | 380.96 miles (613.10 km) SSE | Niue International Airport (IUE) | Alofi, Niue | |
| 11 | 425.04 miles (684.03 km) W | Aéroport de Futuna - Pointe-Vele Pointe Vele Airport (FUT) | Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 12 | 444.19 miles (714.85 km) SSW | Lifuka Island Airport (HPA) | Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga | |
| 13 | 557.87 miles (897.80 km) SSW | Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) | Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga | |
| 14 | 572.36 miles (921.12 km) WSW | Cicia Airport (ICI) | Cicia, Fiji | |
| 15 | 621.58 miles (1,000.34 km) WSW | Labasa Airport (LBS) | Labasa, Fiji | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,387.88 miles (19,936.31 km) W | Zinder Airport (ZND) | Zinder, Niger | |
| 2 | 12,356.11 miles (19,885.18 km) ENE | Maradi Airport (MFQ) | Maradi, Niger | |
| 3 | 12,311.09 miles (19,812.73 km) N | Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (KAN) | Kano, Nigeria | |
| 4 | 12,245.05 miles (19,706.44 km) NNE | Zaria Airport (ZAR) | Zaria, Nigeria | |
| 5 | 12,224.18 miles (19,672.86 km) ENE | Tahoua Airport (THZ) | Tahoua, Niger | |
| 6 | 12,220.70 miles (19,667.27 km) N | Mano Dayak International Airport (AJY) | Agadez, Niger | |
| 7 | 12,209.96 miles (19,649.97 km) NNE | Kaduna Airport (KAD) | Kaduna, Nigeria | |
| 8 | 12,143.09 miles (19,542.37 km) N | Yakubu Gowon Airport (JOS) | Jos, Nigeria | |
| 9 | 12,122.44 miles (19,509.13 km) NNE | Minna Airport (MXJ) | Minna, Nigeria | |
| 10 | 12,095.56 miles (19,465.88 km) NNE | Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (ABV) | Abuja, Nigeria | |
| 11 | 12,090.28 miles (19,457.38 km) N | Arlit Airport (RLT) | Arlit, Niger | |
| 12 | 12,083.98 miles (19,447.24 km) WNW | Maiduguri International Airport (MIU) | Maiduguri, Nigeria | |
| 13 | 12,032.40 miles (19,364.22 km) ENE | Kandi Airport (KDC) | Kandi, Benin | |
| 14 | 12,027.29 miles (19,356.00 km) E | Diori Hamani International Airport (NIM) | Niamey, Niger | |
| 15 | 12,012.16 miles (19,331.64 km) NW | Yola Airport (YOL) | Yola, Nigeria | |