Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Nordkapp, Finnmark, Norway:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Honningsvåg Airport, Valan (HVG), Nordkapp, Finnmark, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,093 miles (or 6,587 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 Honningsvåg Airport, Valan, 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 Honningsvåg Airport, Valan. 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):

• On 1 June 1971, SAC deactivated the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division and by October of that year, an upgraded LGM-30F Minuteman II also replaced the Minuteman I missiles.
• 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.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• 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.
• 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.
• The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force.
• On 15 July 1945, the 225th AAFBU was inactivated and Rapid City AAB was placed on standby status as the Army Air Forces began to demobilize.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.

Facts about Honningsvåg Airport, Valan (HVG):

• The ministry proposed in 1972 that six airports be built in northern Troms and Finnmark.
• The closest airport to Honningsvåg Airport, Valan (HVG) is Mehamn Airport (MEH), which is located 41 miles (67 kilometers) E of HVG.
• The furthest airport from Honningsvåg Airport, Valan (HVG) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,409 miles (16,751 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Honningsvåg Airport, Valan's relatively low elevation of 46 feet, planes can take off or land at Honningsvåg Airport, Valan 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.
• Honningsvåg Airport, Valan handled 15,067 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "Honningsvåg Airport, Valan", another name for HVG is "Honningsvåg lufthavn, Valan".