Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Mendi, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(6°8'51"S by 143°39'25"E)
Distance from RCA to MDU:
7,661.11 miles (12,329.33 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- MDU Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about MDU
- 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 MDU
- List of Nearest Airports to MDU
- Map of Furthest Airports from MDU
- List of Furthest Airports from MDU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Mendi Airport (MDU), Mendi, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,661 miles (or 12,329 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 Mendi 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 Mendi 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: | MDU / AYMN |
| Airport Name: | Mendi Airport |
| Location: | Mendi, Papua New Guinea |
| GPS Coordinates: | 6°8'51"S by 143°39'25"E |
| Elevation: | 5680 feet (1,731 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MDU |
| More Information: | MDU Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- On 15 July 1945, the 225th AAFBU was inactivated and Rapid City AAB was placed on standby status as the Army Air Forces began to demobilize.
- 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.
- 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.
- Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
- 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.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- 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 Mendi Airport (MDU):
- Because of Mendi Airport's high elevation of 5,680 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at MDU. Combined with a high temperature, this could make MDU a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Mendi Airport (MDU) is Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport (FOR), which is located 11,735 miles (18,885 kilometers) away in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- Mendi Airport (MDU) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Mendi Airport (MDU) is Moro Airport (MXH), which is located 32 miles (52 kilometers) WSW of MDU.
| 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 | 32.41 miles (52.16 km) WSW | Moro Airport (MXH) | Moro, Papua New Guinea | |
| 2 | 49.17 miles (79.14 km) ENE | Mount Hagen Airport (HGU) | Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea | |
| 3 | 84.20 miles (135.51 km) NNE | Sangapi Airport (SGK) | Sangapi, Papua New Guinea | |
| 4 | 90.62 miles (145.84 km) E | Chimbu Airport (CMU) | Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea | |
| 5 | 97.15 miles (156.34 km) SSE | Kikori Airport (KRI) | Kikori, Papua New Guinea | |
| 6 | 101.43 miles (163.23 km) NE | Aiome Airport (AIE) | Aiome, Papua New Guinea | |
| 7 | 115.37 miles (185.67 km) SSW | Sasereme Airport (TDS) | Sasereme, Papua New Guinea | |
| 8 | 119.26 miles (191.93 km) E | Goroka Airport (GKA) | Goroka, Papua New Guinea | |
| 9 | 122.70 miles (197.47 km) SE | Baimuru Airport (VMU) | Baimuru, Papua New Guinea | |
| 10 | 138.30 miles (222.58 km) WNW | Biangabip Airport (BPK) | Biangabip, Papua New Guinea | |
| 11 | 143.15 miles (230.38 km) SSW | Awaba Airport (AWB) | Awaba, Papua New Guinea | |
| 12 | 154.87 miles (249.24 km) E | Aiyura Airport (AYU) | Aiyura, Papua New Guinea | |
| 13 | 157.88 miles (254.09 km) NW | Frieda River Airport (FAQ) | Frieda River, Papua New Guinea | |
| 14 | 157.89 miles (254.10 km) ESE | Andakombe Airport (ADC) | Andakombe, Papua New Guinea | |
| 15 | 158.37 miles (254.87 km) E | Gusap Airport (GAP) | Gusap, Papua New Guinea | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,734.70 miles (18,885.13 km) NNE | Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport (FOR) | Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil | |
| 2 | 11,709.94 miles (18,845.27 km) NNE | Parnaíba–Prefeito Dr. João Silva Filho International Airport (PHB) | Parnaiba, Piaui, Brazil | |
| 3 | 11,694.80 miles (18,820.91 km) NNW | Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) | Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 4 | 11,676.98 miles (18,792.23 km) NE | Barreirinhas Airport (BRB) | Barreirinhas, Maranhão, Brazil | |
| 5 | 11,649.89 miles (18,748.63 km) N | Gov. Dix-Sept Rosado Airport (MVF) | Mossoro, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil | |
| 6 | 11,623.91 miles (18,706.82 km) NE | Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport (Tirirical) (SLZ) | São Luís, Brazil | |
| 7 | 11,600.40 miles (18,668.98 km) N | Augusto Severo International Airport (NAT) | Natal, Brazil | |
| 8 | 11,542.58 miles (18,575.94 km) NNE | Teresina–Senador Petrônio Portella Airport (THE) | Teresina, Piauí, Brazil | |
| 9 | 11,513.29 miles (18,528.79 km) S | Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA) | João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 10 | 11,509.27 miles (18,522.32 km) S | Presidente João Suassuna Airport (CPV) | Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 11 | 11,451.03 miles (18,428.60 km) ENE | Belém/Val de Cans–Júlio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport (BEL) | Belém, Pará, Brazil | |
| 12 | 11,445.71 miles (18,420.04 km) S | Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport (REC) | Recife, Brazil | |
| 13 | 11,430.70 miles (18,395.88 km) NW | São Filipe Airport (SFL) | Fogo, Cape Verde | |
| 14 | 11,416.57 miles (18,373.14 km) NW | Mosteiros Airport (MTI) | Mosteiros, Cape Verde | |
| 15 | 11,375.19 miles (18,306.54 km) NW | Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE) | São Vicente, Cape Verde | |