Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Noorvik, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial Airport (ORV), Noorvik, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,612 miles (or 4,203 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 Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial 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 Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial 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):

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial Airport (ORV):

• The furthest airport from Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial Airport (ORV) is Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport (TNM), which is located 10,251 miles (16,497 kilometers) away in Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica.
• In addition to being known as "Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial Airport", another name for ORV is "D76".
• The closest airport to Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial Airport (ORV) is Bob Baker Memorial Airport (IAN), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) NE of ORV.
• Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial Airport (ORV) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial Airport's relatively low elevation of 55 feet, planes can take off or land at Robert (Bob) Curtis Memorial 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.