Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Šiauliai, Lithuania:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Šiauliai International Airport (SQQ), Šiauliai, Lithuania would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,855 miles (or 7,814 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 Šiauliai 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 Šiauliai 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):

• 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.
• On 15 July 1945, the 225th AAFBU was inactivated and Rapid City AAB was placed on standby status as the Army Air Forces began to demobilize.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In March 1944, heavy bomber operational training ended and the 225th Army Air Force Base Unit began training of replacement personnel for deployed heavy bombardment units in the overseas combat theaters.

Facts about Šiauliai International Airport (SQQ):

• Šiauliai is home to the NATO Baltic Air Policing forward deployment, providing airspace security for the three Baltic members of NATO.
• Because of Šiauliai International Airport's relatively low elevation of 443 feet, planes can take off or land at Šiauliai 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.
• In addition to being known as "Šiauliai International Airport", another name for SQQ is "Šiaulių tarptautinis oro uostas".
• The furthest airport from Šiauliai International Airport (SQQ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,229 miles (18,071 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Šiauliai International Airport (SQQ) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Šiauliai International Airport (SQQ) is Kaunas International Airport (KUN), which is located 70 miles (112 kilometers) SSE of SQQ.