Nonstop flight route between Wroclaw, Poland and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Copernicus Airport Wrocław (WRO), Wroclaw, Poland and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,941 miles (or 7,952 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 Copernicus Airport Wrocław 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 Copernicus Airport Wrocław 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 Copernicus Airport Wrocław (WRO):

• Because of Copernicus Airport Wrocław's relatively low elevation of 404 feet, planes can take off or land at Copernicus Airport Wrocław 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 first international flights were inaugurated in January 1993, serving Frankfurt, Germany.
• The airport operates modern domestic, international and cargo terminals.
• Following are the official airport annual traffic levels
• In addition to being known as "Copernicus Airport Wrocław", another name for WRO is "Port Lotniczy Wrocław im. Mikołaja Kopernika".
• Copernicus Airport Wrocław (WRO) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Copernicus Airport Wrocław (WRO) is Zielona Góra-Babimost Airport (IEG), which is located 85 miles (137 kilometers) NNW of WRO.
• On 19 July 2006 the architectural firm JSK was chosen to design a significant airport expansion.
• The furthest airport from Copernicus Airport Wrocław (WRO) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,637 miles (18,728 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.

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.
• 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's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
• 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.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• 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.
• An AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar was added in 1956.