Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Yakutsk, Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, Russia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Yakutsk Airport (YKS), Yakutsk, Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, Russia would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,534 miles (or 7,297 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 Yakutsk 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 Yakutsk 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):

• Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• The Titan I's life span was short in western South Dakota.
• 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.
• The mission of the 28th Bomb Wing is to deliver decisive combat power for global response.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• 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 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.

Facts about Yakutsk Airport (YKS):

• Construction of the airport started in 1931 and was used as a stopover on the ALSIB Alaska-Siberia air route for American planes flying to Europe during World War II.
• In addition to being known as "Yakutsk Airport", another name for YKS is "Аэропорт Якутск / Дьокуускай Аэропорт".
• The furthest airport from Yakutsk Airport (YKS) is Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport (TNM), which is nearly antipodal to Yakutsk Airport (meaning Yakutsk Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport), and is located 12,154 miles (19,560 kilometers) away in Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica.
• The closest airport to Yakutsk Airport (YKS) is Magan Airport (GYG), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) W of YKS.
• Yakutsk Airport (YKS) has 2 runways.
• Because of Yakutsk Airport's relatively low elevation of 325 feet, planes can take off or land at Yakutsk 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.