Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Islay, Scotland, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(55°40'59"N by 6°15'34"W)
Distance from RCA to ILY:
4,019.84 miles (6,469.29 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- ILY Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about ILY
- 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 ILY
- List of Nearest Airports to ILY
- Map of Furthest Airports from ILY
- List of Furthest Airports from ILY
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Islay Airport (ILY), Islay, Scotland, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,020 miles (or 6,469 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 Islay 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 Islay 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: | ILY / EGPI |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Islay, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 55°40'59"N by 6°15'34"W |
| Area Served: | Islay |
| Operator/Owner: | Highlands and Islands Airports Limited |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 56 feet (17 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from ILY |
| More Information: | ILY Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
- 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.
- 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.
- Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
- The 740th AC&W Squadron began operations in 1955 with AN/MPS-7 search radar, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept and warning station.
- 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.
Facts about Islay Airport (ILY):
- Islay Airport handled 28,486 passengers last year.
- Because of Islay Airport's relatively low elevation of 56 feet, planes can take off or land at Islay 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.
- The furthest airport from Islay Airport (ILY) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,783 miles (18,963 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
- In addition to being known as "Islay Airport", another name for ILY is "Port-adhair Ìle".
- The closest airport to Islay Airport (ILY) is Colonsay Airport (CSA), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) N of ILY.
- Islay Airport (ILY) has 2 runways.
| 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 | 25.86 miles (41.62 km) N | Colonsay Airport (CSA) | Colonsay, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 28.06 miles (45.16 km) SE | Campbeltown Airport (CAL) | Campbeltown, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 56.69 miles (91.24 km) SW | City of Derry Airport (LDY) | Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 61.07 miles (98.28 km) NNW | Tiree Airport (TRE) | Tiree, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 64.95 miles (104.52 km) NNW | Coll Island Airport (COL) | Coll, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 66.11 miles (106.39 km) E | Glasgow-Prestwick Airport (PIK) | Prestwick (near Glasgow), Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 70.90 miles (114.10 km) S | Belfast International Airport (BFS) | Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 72.17 miles (116.14 km) E | Glasgow International Airport (GLA) | Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 75.17 miles (120.98 km) SSE | George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) | Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 92.90 miles (149.51 km) WSW | Donegal Airport (CFN) | Carrickfinn, Ireland | |
| 11 | 103.04 miles (165.82 km) NNW | Barra International Airport (BRR) | Barra, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 104.48 miles (168.15 km) SSW | Enniskillen/St Angelo Airport (ENK) | Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 113.58 miles (182.78 km) E | Edinburgh Airport (EDI) | Edinburgh, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 123.00 miles (197.96 km) ENE | Perth Airport (PSL) | Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 128.25 miles (206.40 km) SSE | Isle of Man Airport (IOM) | Ronaldsway, Isle of Man, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,783.36 miles (18,963.43 km) SSE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,754.74 miles (18,917.37 km) SSE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,745.49 miles (18,902.49 km) SSE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,688.58 miles (18,810.90 km) SSE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,687.49 miles (18,809.15 km) S | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,668.33 miles (18,778.31 km) SSE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,654.25 miles (18,755.65 km) SSE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,642.72 miles (18,737.09 km) S | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,634.42 miles (18,723.73 km) SSE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,618.36 miles (18,697.89 km) S | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,607.61 miles (18,680.58 km) SSE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,598.15 miles (18,665.36 km) SSE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,592.58 miles (18,656.40 km) S | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,576.41 miles (18,630.39 km) SSE | Fox Glacier Aerodrome (FGL) | Fox Glacier, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,532.27 miles (18,559.35 km) S | Hokitika Airport (HKK) | Hokitika, New Zealand | |