Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Arona, Ulawa Island, Solomon Islands:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(9°51'16"S by 161°58'45"E)
Distance from RCA to RNA:
6,935.52 miles (11,161.62 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- RNA Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about RNA
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to RNA
- List of Nearest Airports to RNA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RNA
- List of Furthest Airports from RNA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Ulawa Airport (RNA), Arona, Ulawa Island, Solomon Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,936 miles (or 11,162 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 Ulawa 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 Ulawa Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCA / KRCA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from RCA |
| More Information: | RCA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RNA / AGAR |
| Airport Name: | Ulawa Airport |
| Location: | Arona, Ulawa Island, Solomon Islands |
| GPS Coordinates: | 9°51'16"S by 161°58'45"E |
| View all routes: | Routes from RNA |
| More Information: | RNA Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- 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".
- 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.
- 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 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 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.
- Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
Facts about Ulawa Airport (RNA):
- The closest airport to Ulawa Airport (RNA) is Kirakira Airport (IRA), which is located 41 miles (67 kilometers) S of RNA.
- The furthest airport from Ulawa Airport (RNA) is Bubaque Airport (BQE), which is nearly antipodal to Ulawa Airport (meaning Ulawa Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Bubaque Airport), and is located 12,258 miles (19,728 kilometers) away in Bubaque, Guinea-Bissau.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.04 miles (11.33 km) S | Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |     |
| 2 | 41.93 miles (67.49 km) WNW | Black Hills Airport (SPF) | Spearfish, South Dakota, United States | |
| 3 | 82.62 miles (132.96 km) SSE | Pine Ridge Airport (XPR) | Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 4 | 90.44 miles (145.55 km) S | Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) | Chadron, Nebraska, United States | |
| 5 | 122.78 miles (197.60 km) W | Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) | Gillette, Wyoming, United States | |
| 6 | 138.94 miles (223.59 km) E | Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) | Pierre, South Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 142.03 miles (228.58 km) N | Bowman Municipal Airport (BWM) | Bowman, North Dakota, United States | |
| 8 | 145.26 miles (233.77 km) S | Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA) | Alliance, Nebraska, United States | |
| 9 | 148.71 miles (239.33 km) SW | Converse County Airport (DGW) | Douglas, Wyoming, United States | |
| 10 | 153.78 miles (247.49 km) SSW | Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR) | Torrington, Wyoming, United States | |
| 11 | 154.79 miles (249.12 km) SE | Miller Field (VTN) | Valentine, Nebraska, United States | |
| 12 | 159.20 miles (256.21 km) S | Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) | Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States | |
| 13 | 162.60 miles (261.68 km) NE | Mobridge Municipal Airport (MBG) | Mobridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 14 | 183.63 miles (295.52 km) N | Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) | Dickinson, North Dakota, United States | |
| 15 | 188.89 miles (303.99 km) SE | Ainsworth Regional Airport (ANW) | Ainsworth, Nebraska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,579.32 miles (17,025.72 km) SSE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 10,460.72 miles (16,834.85 km) SE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,437.71 miles (16,797.83 km) SE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 4 | 10,415.77 miles (16,762.51 km) SE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 10,301.11 miles (16,577.99 km) ESE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 10,292.17 miles (16,563.61 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,268.77 miles (16,525.95 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,252.53 miles (16,499.80 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,244.09 miles (16,486.22 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,200.19 miles (16,415.58 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,193.03 miles (16,404.05 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,186.88 miles (16,394.16 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,186.40 miles (16,393.38 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,176.73 miles (16,377.83 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,162.30 miles (16,354.60 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 41.46 miles (66.72 km) S | Kirakira Airport (IRA) | Kirakira, Makira Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 2 | 83.87 miles (134.98 km) WNW | Afutara Airport (AFT) | Afutara, Solomon Islands | |
| 3 | 94.61 miles (152.26 km) NW | Uru Harbour Airport (ATD) | Atoifi, Malaita, Solomon Islands | |
| 4 | 119.28 miles (191.96 km) NW | Auki Gwaunaru'u Airport (AKS) | Auki / Gwaunaru'u, Solomon Islands | |
| 5 | 134.36 miles (216.23 km) WNW | Honiara International Airport (formerly Henderson Field) (HIR) | Honiara, Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 6 | 145.91 miles (234.82 km) W | Mbambanakira Airport (MBU) | Mbambanakira, Solomon Islands | |
| 7 | 178.71 miles (287.61 km) SW | Bellona/Anua Airport (BNY) | Anua, Bellona Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 8 | 195.34 miles (314.37 km) WNW | Yandina Airport (XYA) | Yandina, Solomon Islands | |
| 9 | 203.57 miles (327.61 km) NW | Fera Airport (FRE) | Maringe, Fera Island, Isabel Province, Solomon Islands | |
| 10 | 338.60 miles (544.91 km) WNW | Munda Airport (MUA) | Munda, New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 11 | 346.97 miles (558.39 km) WNW | Kaghau Airport (KGE) | Kagau Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 12 | 369.55 miles (594.74 km) WNW | Nusatupe Airport (GZO) | Gizo / Nusatupe, Western Province, Solomon Islands | |
| 13 | 439.12 miles (706.69 km) WNW | Choiseul Bay Airport (CHY) | Choiseul Bay, Taro Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 14 | 460.84 miles (741.64 km) WNW | Balalae Airport (BAS) | Ballalae, Solomon Islands | |
| 15 | 466.30 miles (750.43 km) SE | Vanua Lava Airport (SLH) | Sola, Vanua Lava, Torba Province, Vanuatu | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,258.16 miles (19,727.55 km) NW | Bubaque Airport (BQE) | Bubaque, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 2 | 12,240.23 miles (19,698.70 km) NNW | Cap Skirring Airport (CSK) | Cap Skirring, Senegal | |
| 3 | 12,223.10 miles (19,671.12 km) NW | Osvaldo Vieira International Airport (OXB) | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 4 | 12,216.08 miles (19,659.83 km) NNW | Ziguinchor Airport (ZIG) | Ziguinchor, Senegal | |
| 5 | 12,178.92 miles (19,600.03 km) NNW | Banjul International Airport (BJL) | Banjul, Gambia | |
| 6 | 12,171.33 miles (19,587.80 km) WNW | Boké Baralande Airport (BKJ) | Boké, Guinea | |
| 7 | 12,141.89 miles (19,540.43 km) NW | Kolda North Airport (KDA) | Kolda, Senegal | |
| 8 | 12,135.93 miles (19,530.84 km) W | Conakry International Airport (CKY) | Conakry, Guinea | |
| 9 | 12,132.06 miles (19,524.61 km) W | Fria Airport (FIG) | Fria, Guinea | |
| 10 | 12,111.76 miles (19,491.94 km) NNW | Kaolack Airport (KLC) | Kaolack, Senegal | |
| 11 | 12,097.40 miles (19,468.83 km) N | Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport (DKR) | Dakar, Senegal | |
| 12 | 12,096.79 miles (19,467.85 km) WNW | Lungi International Airport (FNA) | Freetown, Sierra Leone | |
| 13 | 12,088.13 miles (19,453.91 km) WNW | Hastings Airport (HGS) | Freetown, Sierra Leone | |
| 14 | 12,069.25 miles (19,423.53 km) WNW | Sambailo Airport (SBI) | Koundara, Guinea | |
| 15 | 12,048.17 miles (19,389.60 km) NW | Simenti Airport (SMY) | Simenti, Senegal | |