Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Lonely, North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site (LNI), Lonely, North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,491 miles (or 4,008 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 relatively short distance between Ellsworth Air Force Base and Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (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 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.
• 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.
• 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 installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".

Facts about Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site (LNI):

• Because of Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site's relatively low elevation of 17 feet, planes can take off or land at Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site 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.
• Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site is a United States Air Force Short Range Radar Site located in the North Slope Borough of the U.S.
• In addition to being known as "Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site", other names for LNI include " " and "AK71".
• The closest airport to Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site (LNI) is Alpine Airstrip (DQH), which is located 66 miles (106 kilometers) SE of LNI.
• The radar station was upgraded with new radars and in 1994 was re-designated part of the North Warning System as a Short Range Radar Site, A-18, equipped with a minimally attended AN/FPS-124 surveillance radar.
• Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site (LNI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Point Lonely Short Range Radar Site (LNI) is Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport (TNM), which is located 10,219 miles (16,447 kilometers) away in Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica.