Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Komatsu, Ishikawa, Japan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Komatsu Airport (KMQ), Komatsu, Ishikawa, Japan would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,742 miles (or 9,242 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 Komatsu 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 Komatsu Airport. 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 installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• 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.
• In March 1994, Ellsworth welcomed the 34th Bomb Squadron, a geographically separated unit that was awaiting airfield upgrades before it could return to its parent organization, the 366th Wing, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.
• 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 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 Komatsu Airport (KMQ):

• Because of Komatsu Airport's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Komatsu 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 airport was originally a base of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
• The closest airport to Komatsu Airport (KMQ) is Fukui Airport (FKJ), which is located 20 miles (32 kilometers) SSW of KMQ.
• Komatsu Airport (KMQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• Komatsu Airport is an airport located 4.2 km west southwest of Komatsu Station in the city of Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.
• The airport is located near the Hokuriku Expressway.
• The furthest airport from Komatsu Airport (KMQ) is Rio Grande Regional Airport (RIG), which is located 11,864 miles (19,093 kilometers) away in Rio Grande, Brazil.
• In addition to being known as "Komatsu Airport", other names for KMQ include "小松飛行場" and "Komatsu Hikōjō".