Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Orange, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (XOG), Orange, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,902 miles (or 7,889 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 Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115), 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 Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115). 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.
• Internationally, the destruction of the Berlin Wall in October 1989 symbolized the imminent demise of the Soviet Union over the next several months.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
• The 740th AC&W Squadron began operations in 1955 with AN/MPS-7 search radar, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept and warning station.
• 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.
• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.

Facts about Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (XOG):

• In addition to being known as "Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115)", another name for XOG is "Base aérienne 115 Orange-Caritat "Capitaine de Seyne"".
• Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (XOG) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (XOG) is Avignon - Caumont Airport (AVN), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) S of XOG.
• The furthest airport from Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (XOG) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (meaning Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,367 miles (19,903 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115)'s relatively low elevation of 197 feet, planes can take off or land at Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) 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.