Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and La Jolla de Cortes, Sonora, Mexico:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE), La Jolla de Cortes, Sonora, Mexico would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,044 miles (or 1,680 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 relatively short distance between Ellsworth Air Force Base and Mar de Cortés International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• 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.
• 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.
• An AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar was added in 1956.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• To provide air defense of the base, the United States Army established the Ellsworth AFB Defense Area in 1957 and constructed Nike-Ajax Surface-to-air missile sites for air defense.
• 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 installation changed names a few more times during its early years.

Facts about Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE):

• Because of Mar de Cortés International Airport's relatively low elevation of 71 feet, planes can take off or land at Mar de Cortés 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.
• Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE) is San Felipe International Airport (SFH), which is located 94 miles (151 kilometers) WSW of PPE.
• The furthest airport from Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,609 miles (18,683 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• As of October 31, 2009 the airport is officially open to the public, and is operating as a Mexican Airport of Entry.
• In addition to being known as "Mar de Cortés International Airport", other names for PPE include "Aeropuerto Internacional del Mar de Cortés" and "MMPE".