Nonstop flight route between Udon Thani, Thailand and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี (UTH), Udon Thani, Thailand and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,882 miles (or 12,685 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 Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี 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 Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี 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 Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี (UTH):

• The closest airport to Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี (UTH) is Wattay International Airport (VTE), which is located 44 miles (71 kilometers) NNW of UTH.
• Because of Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี's relatively low elevation of 579 feet, planes can take off or land at Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี 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.
• Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี (UTH) currently has only 1 runway.
• 231 Squadron flies 17 Dassault-Breguet-Dornier Alpha Jet A airplanes acquired second hand from the German Air Force and delivered in 2001.
• The furthest airport from Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี (UTH) is Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC), which is nearly antipodal to Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี (meaning Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maria Reiche Neuman Airport), and is located 12,207 miles (19,645 kilometers) away in Nazca, Ica Region, Peru.
• During the Vietnam War the facility was known as Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, serving as a front-line base of the United States Air Force and was the Asian Headquarters for Air America.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• 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.
• Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• In March 1994, Ellsworth welcomed the 34th Bomb Squadron, a geographically separated unit that was awaiting airfield upgrades before it could return to its parent organization, the 366th Wing, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
• 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 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.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• 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.
• 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.