Nonstop flight route between Istanbul, Turkey and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW), Istanbul, Turkey and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,860 miles (or 9,431 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 İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base, 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 İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base. 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 İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW):

• İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport handled 1,864,184 passengers last year.
• Sabiha Gökçen International is connected to the city of Istanbul and that city's wider metropolitan area through a number of transport corridors.
• Because of İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport's relatively low elevation of 312 feet, planes can take off or land at İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen 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.
• The airport's cargo terminal has a capacity of 90,000 tons per year and is equipped with 18 cold storage depots.
• The closest airport to İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) WNW of SAW.
• In addition to being known as "İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport", another name for SAW is "Sabiha Gökçen Uluslararası Havalimanı".
• The furthest airport from İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is Rurutu Airport (RUR), which is located 11,160 miles (17,961 kilometers) away in Rurutu, French Polynesia.
• İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.
• 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 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.
• 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 AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
• 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.