Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Kuparuk, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Ugnu-Kuparuk Airport (UUK), Kuparuk, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,398 miles (or 3,860 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 Ugnu-Kuparuk 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):

• Internationally, the destruction of the Berlin Wall in October 1989 symbolized the imminent demise of the Soviet Union over the next several months.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• After the Army closed their facilities, the military housing at the Nike Integrated Fire Control sites was transferred to control of Ellsworth, and was used as Air Force military family housing until about 1990.
• 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.
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".

Facts about Ugnu-Kuparuk Airport (UUK):

• Ugnu-Kuparuk Airport (UUK) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Ugnu-Kuparuk Airport", another name for UUK is "UBW".
• The furthest airport from Ugnu-Kuparuk Airport (UUK) is Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport (TNM), which is located 10,127 miles (16,298 kilometers) away in Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica.
• The closest airport to Ugnu-Kuparuk Airport (UUK) is Deadhorse Airport (SCC), which is located 28 miles (45 kilometers) ESE of UUK.
• Because of Ugnu-Kuparuk Airport's relatively low elevation of 67 feet, planes can take off or land at Ugnu-Kuparuk 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.