Nonstop flight route between Decatur, Alabama, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from DCU to RCA:
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- About this route
- DCU Airport Information
- RCA Airport Information
- Facts about DCU
- Facts about RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to DCU
- List of Nearest Airports to DCU
- Map of Furthest Airports from DCU
- List of Furthest Airports from DCU
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), Decatur, Alabama, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,079 miles (or 1,737 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 Pryor Field 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:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DCU / KDCU |
Airport Name: | Pryor Field Regional Airport |
Location: | Decatur, Alabama, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W |
Area Served: | Decatur, Alabama |
Operator/Owner: | Decatur/Athens Airport Authority |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 592 feet (180 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from DCU |
More Information: | DCU Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCA / KRCA |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W |
View all routes: | Routes from RCA |
More Information: | RCA Maps & Info |
Facts about Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU):
- Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Huntsville International Airport (HSV), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) E of DCU.
- Because of Pryor Field Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 592 feet, planes can take off or land at Pryor Field Regional 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.
- In 2007, Chris Wright was struck by a propeller as he was "hand propping" starting his plane.
- The furthest airport from Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,180 miles (17,992 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Opened in October 1941 with 4,600 by 4,600 feet square all-direction turf runway.
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
- Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
- Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- To provide air defense of the base, the United States Army established the Ellsworth AFB Defense Area in 1957 and constructed Nike-Ajax Surface-to-air missile sites for air defense.
- 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.