Nonstop flight route between Safford, Arizona, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Safford Regional Airport (SAD), Safford, Arizona, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 856 miles (or 1,378 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 Safford Regional Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Safford Regional Airport (SAD):

• Safford Regional Airport (SAD) has 2 runways.
• The Civilian Pilot Training Airport or Wickersham Airport was 3 miles south of Safford, where the fairgrounds are today.
• The furthest airport from Safford Regional Airport (SAD) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,434 miles (18,401 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The closest airport to Safford Regional Airport (SAD) is Greenlee County Airport (CFT), which is located 26 miles (41 kilometers) ENE of SAD.
• The airport covers 630 acres at an elevation of 3,179 feet.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• 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 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 installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• 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".
• 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.
• 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.