Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Sheung Wan, China:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Shun Tak Heliport (HHP), Sheung Wan, China would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,278 miles (or 11,713 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 Shun Tak Heliport, 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 Shun Tak Heliport. 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 activated the 740th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron at Rapid City AFB on 1 February 1953 under the ADC 31st Air Division.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• 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 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 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.
• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.

Facts about Shun Tak Heliport (HHP):

• Because of Shun Tak Heliport's relatively low elevation of 107 feet, planes can take off or land at Shun Tak Heliport 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 terminal is the main point of departure for ferries to Macau, although services also operate from the Hong Kong-China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui and from Hong Kong International Airport.
• The closest airport to Shun Tak Heliport (HHP) is Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) W of HHP.
• The original heliport at the Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal was built in 1990, and provided a single helipad situated over the western end of the inner pier.
• The furthest airport from Shun Tak Heliport (HHP) is Capitán Oriel Lea Plaza International Airport (TJA), which is nearly antipodal to Shun Tak Heliport (meaning Shun Tak Heliport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Capitán Oriel Lea Plaza International Airport), and is located 12,348 miles (19,871 kilometers) away in Tarija, Bolivia.