Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Newcastle Airport (NCL), Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,193 miles (or 6,748 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 Newcastle 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 Newcastle 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):

• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.
• The base experienced one of its worst peacetime tragedies in March 1953 when an RB-36 and its entire crew of 23 crashed in Newfoundland while returning from a routine exercise in Europe.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• The mission of the 28th Bomb Wing is to deliver decisive combat power for global response.
• 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.

Facts about Newcastle Airport (NCL):

• The airport mainly serves the City of Newcastle, the greater Tyneside area, Northumberland and Wearside.
• Newcastle Airport (NCL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Newcastle Airport (NCL) is Durham Tees Valley Airport (MME), which is located 38 miles (61 kilometers) SSE of NCL.
• Because of Newcastle Airport's relatively low elevation of 266 feet, planes can take off or land at Newcastle 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 furthest airport from Newcastle Airport (NCL) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,722 miles (18,864 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
• The main handling agents at the Airport are Swissport UK who provide services for eighteen of the above 26 airlines and Servisair, their cargo division has a significant operation at Newcastle.
• The 1960s saw tremendous growth in passenger numbers at the Airport.
• Newcastle Airport handled 4,420,839 passengers last year.