Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Ullensaker (near Oslo), Norway:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL), Ullensaker (near Oslo), Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,333 miles (or 6,973 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 Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, 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 Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. 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 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.
• 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 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.
• 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 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.
• 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 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 Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL):

• In addition to being known as "Oslo Airport, Gardermoen", another name for OSL is "Oslo lufthavn".
• The main art on the land side of the airport is Alexis, consisting of six steel sculptures in stainless steel created by Per Inge Bjørlo.
• Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL) has 2 runways.
• During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, the Luftwaffe took over Gardermoen, and built the first proper airport facilities with hangars and two crossing runways, both 2,000 metres long.
• Since Hurum could no longer be used, the government again recommended Gardermoen as the location.
• The furthest airport from Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,261 miles (18,123 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL) is Oslo Airport, Fornebu ( Closed ) (FBU), which is located 27 miles (44 kilometers) SW of OSL.
• Gardermoen has had considerable problems with fog and freezing rain, and has several times had a complete close-down.
• Because of Oslo Airport, Gardermoen's relatively low elevation of 681 feet, planes can take off or land at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen 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.
• Oslo Airport, Gardermoen handled 22,956,540 passengers last year.