Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Padua, Italy:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport (QPA), Padua, Italy would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,080 miles (or 8,176 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 Padua “Gino Allegri” 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 Padua “Gino Allegri” 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):

• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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 12th Air Division moved to Ellsworth on 15 July 1988.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• An AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar was added in 1956.
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.
• 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 Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport (QPA):

• The furthest airport from Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport (QPA) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport (meaning Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,014 miles (19,335 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport's relatively low elevation of 44 feet, planes can take off or land at Padua “Gino Allegri” 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.
• Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport (QPA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport (QPA) is Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport (VIC), which is located only 20 miles (32 kilometers) NW of QPA.
• In addition to being known as "Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport", another name for QPA is "Aeroporto di Padova “Gino Allegri”".