Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Île d'Yeu, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY), Île d'Yeu, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,521 miles (or 7,275 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 Île d'Yeu Aerodrome, 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 Île d'Yeu Aerodrome. 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 12th Air Division moved to Ellsworth on 15 July 1988.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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 host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• 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.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• 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 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.
• The mission of the 28th Bomb Wing is to deliver decisive combat power for global response.

Facts about Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY):

• The furthest airport from Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY) is Christchurch International Airport (CHC), which is nearly antipodal to Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (meaning Île d'Yeu Aerodrome is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christchurch International Airport), and is located 12,104 miles (19,479 kilometers) away in Christchurch, New Zealand.
• Because of Île d'Yeu Aerodrome's relatively low elevation of 79 feet, planes can take off or land at Île d'Yeu Aerodrome 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 closest airport to Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY) is Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE), which is located 48 miles (77 kilometers) NE of IDY.
• In addition to being known as "Île d'Yeu Aerodrome", another name for IDY is "Aérodrome d'Ile d'Yeu - Grand Phare".
• Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY) has 2 runways.