Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Shizuoka, Honshu, Japan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Shizuoka Airport (FSZ), Shizuoka, Honshu, Japan would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,765 miles (or 9,279 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 Shizuoka 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 Shizuoka 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 44th Missile Wing, however, had ably accomplished its deterrence mission.

Facts about Shizuoka Airport (FSZ):

• Because of Shizuoka Airport's relatively low elevation of 433 feet, planes can take off or land at Shizuoka 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.
• Shizuoka Airport (FSZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Shizuoka Airport", other names for FSZ include "静岡空港" and "Shizuoka Kūkō".
• The furthest airport from Shizuoka Airport (FSZ) is Diomício Freitas/Forquilhinha Airport (CCM), which is located 11,824 miles (19,029 kilometers) away in Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
• The closest airport to Shizuoka Airport (FSZ) is Nagoya Airfield (NKM), which is located 78 miles (126 kilometers) WNW of FSZ.
• The airport was originally scheduled to open in March 2009, but was delayed by the shortening of the runway from 2,500 m to 2,200 m, by the use of a displaced threshold that cannot be used for takeoff or landing, due to environmental and noise concerns.
• While the Tokaido Shinkansen line travels directly underneath the airport, there is no train station nor have any plans been made to build one.
• The airport is located in Makinohara and Shimada.