Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(1°40'11"S by 29°14'17"E)
Distance from RCA to GOM:
8,305.57 miles (13,366.48 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- GOM Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about GOM
- 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 GOM
- List of Nearest Airports to GOM
- Map of Furthest Airports from GOM
- List of Furthest Airports from GOM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Goma Airport (GOM), Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,306 miles (or 13,366 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 Goma 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 Goma 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: | GOM / FZNA |
| Airport Name: | Goma Airport |
| Location: | Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| GPS Coordinates: | 1°40'11"S by 29°14'17"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Government |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 5089 feet (1,551 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GOM |
| More Information: | GOM Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.
- When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
- 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 mission of the 28th Bomb Wing is to deliver decisive combat power for global response.
- 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.
- An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
Facts about Goma Airport (GOM):
- Because of Goma Airport's high elevation of 5,089 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at GOM. Combined with a high temperature, this could make GOM a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- On 19 November 2009, Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation Flight 3711, operated by McDonnell Douglas MD-82 9Q-CAB overran the runway on landing, suffering substantial damage.
- The closest airport to Goma Airport (GOM) is Gisenyi Airport (GYI), which is located only 2 miles (2 kilometers) ESE of GOM.
- The furthest airport from Goma Airport (GOM) is Cassidy International Airport (CXI), which is located 11,981 miles (19,282 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Kiribati.
- Goma Airport (GOM) currently has only 1 runway.
| 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 | 1.55 miles (2.50 km) ESE | Gisenyi Airport (GYI) | Gisenyi, Rwanda | |
| 2 | 53.19 miles (85.61 km) SW | Kuvumu Airport (BKY) | Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 3 | 65.10 miles (104.77 km) ESE | Kigali International Airport (KGL) | Kigali, Rwanda | |
| 4 | 72.70 miles (117.00 km) SSE | Butare Airport (BTQ) | Butare, Rwanda | |
| 5 | 84.66 miles (136.24 km) SE | Kirundo Airport (KRE) | Kirundo, Burundi | |
| 6 | 114.41 miles (184.13 km) S | Bujumbura International Airport (BJM) | Bujumbura, Burundi | |
| 7 | 121.58 miles (195.67 km) NE | Mbarara Airport (MBQ) | Mbarara, Uganda | |
| 8 | 130.52 miles (210.05 km) SSE | Gitega Airport (GID) | Gitega, Burundi | |
| 9 | 141.70 miles (228.04 km) NNE | Kasese Airport (KSE) | Kasese, Uganda | |
| 10 | 155.96 miles (250.99 km) N | Beni Airport (BNC) | Beni, Nord-Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 11 | 179.91 miles (289.54 km) E | Bukoba Airport (BKZ) | Bukoba, Tanzania | |
| 12 | 224.13 miles (360.70 km) S | Kigoma Airport (TKQ) | Kigoma, Tanzania | |
| 13 | 233.64 miles (376.01 km) NNE | Bunia Airport (BUX) | Bunia, Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 14 | 245.11 miles (394.46 km) WSW | Kindu Airport (KND) | Kindu, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 15 | 251.10 miles (404.11 km) ENE | Entebbe International Airport (EBB) | Entebbe, Uganda | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,981.32 miles (19,282.02 km) E | Cassidy International Airport (CXI) | Christmas Island, Kiribati | |
| 2 | 11,346.45 miles (18,260.30 km) SE | Manihiki Island Airport (MHX) | Manihiki Island, Cook Islands | |
| 3 | 11,306.29 miles (18,195.67 km) SW | Atuona Airport (AUQ) | Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 4 | 11,285.43 miles (18,162.10 km) S | Mataiva Airport (MVT) | Mataiva, French Polynesia | |
| 5 | 11,282.61 miles (18,157.56 km) SSW | Ahe Airport (AHE) | Ahe, French Polynesia | |
| 6 | 11,278.52 miles (18,150.97 km) SSW | Manihi Airport (XMH) | Manihi, French Polynesia | |
| 7 | 11,234.21 miles (18,079.66 km) SSW | Arutua Airport (AXR) | Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 8 | 11,208.99 miles (18,039.08 km) SSW | Apataki Airport (APK) | Apataki, French Polynesia | |
| 9 | 11,183.45 miles (17,997.98 km) S | Bora Bora Airport (BOB) | Bora Bora, French Polynesia | |
| 10 | 11,182.39 miles (17,996.26 km) S | Maupiti Airport (MAU) | Maupiti, Leeward Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 11 | 11,168.32 miles (17,973.63 km) S | Huahine – Fare Airport (HUH) | Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 12 | 11,163.57 miles (17,965.98 km) SSW | Fakarava Airport (FAV) | Fakarava, Society Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 13 | 11,156.43 miles (17,954.50 km) NNE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,138.29 miles (17,925.30 km) NNE | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,137.49 miles (17,924.01 km) NNE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |