Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Koulamoutou, Gabon:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou Airport) (KOU), Koulamoutou, Gabon would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,522 miles (or 12,106 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 Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou 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 Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou 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 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 airfield was again temporarily shut down from September 1946 – March 1947 and underwent a major construction program to upgrade the temporary wartime facilities to that of a permanent base.
• To provide air defense of the base, the United States Army established the Ellsworth AFB Defense Area in 1957 and constructed Nike-Ajax Surface-to-air missile sites for air defense.
• 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.
• 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.
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
• 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 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".
• The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force.
• 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.
• Military organizations periodically upgrade manpower and machines from time to time to meet new national security requirements and Ellsworth Air Force Base's organizations were no exception.

Facts about Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou Airport) (KOU):

• The furthest airport from Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou Airport) (KOU) is Canton Island Airport (CIS), which is nearly antipodal to Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou Airport) (meaning Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou Airport) is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Canton Island Airport), and is located 12,041 miles (19,378 kilometers) away in Canton Island, Kiribati.
• Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou Airport) (KOU) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou Airport)", another name for KOU is "Koulamoutou Airport".
• The closest airport to Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou Airport) (KOU) is Moanda Airport (MFF), which is located 62 miles (100 kilometers) ESE of KOU.