Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Naples, Italy:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Naples International Airport (NAP), Naples, Italy would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,395 miles (or 8,682 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 Naples International 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 Naples International 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):

• 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.
• When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
• An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.

Facts about Naples International Airport (NAP):

• Naples International Airport (NAP) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Naples International Airport", other names for NAP include "Naples Airport" and "Aeroporto di Napoli-Capodichino".
• Naples, with a metropolitan population of nearly three million is the largest metropolitan area of Europe which does not serve as a hub nor secondary hub of any airline.
• During World War II the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces extensively during the Italian Campaign.
• The district of Capodichino – in the area known as "Campo di Marte" – hosted in 1910 the first flight exhibitions in Naples.
• Because of Naples International Airport's relatively low elevation of 294 feet, planes can take off or land at Naples International 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 closest airport to Naples International Airport (NAP) is Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport (QSR), which is located 37 miles (60 kilometers) ESE of NAP.
• Capodichino is easily accessible from all the city thanks to the exit of the so-called "Tangenziale", an urban highway connecting the city of Naples to metropolitan area and highways to Rome, Salerno and Bari.
• Naples International Airport handled 5,801,836 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Naples International Airport (NAP) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,852 miles (19,075 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.