Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Punta Arenas, Chile:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ), Punta Arenas, Chile would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,979 miles (or 11,232 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 Presidente Carlos Ibáñez 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 Presidente Carlos Ibáñez 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):

• In 1986, the base and the 28 BMW made extensive preparations to phase out the aging B-52 fleet and become the second home for the advanced B-1B Lancer.
• 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.
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• 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.
• 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.
• An AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar was added in 1956.

Facts about Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ):

• Because of Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport's relatively low elevation of 139 feet, planes can take off or land at Presidente Carlos Ibáñez 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 Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ) is Teniente Julio Gallardo Airfield (PNT), which is located 116 miles (187 kilometers) NW of PUQ.
• Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ) has 3 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport", another name for PUQ is "Aeropuerto Internacional Presidente Carlos Ibáñez".
• The furthest airport from Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ) is Baikal International Airport (UUD), which is nearly antipodal to Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (meaning Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Baikal International Airport), and is located 12,327 miles (19,839 kilometers) away in Ulan-Ude, Republic of Buryatia, Russia.