Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Fresno, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from RCA to FAT:
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- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- FAT Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about FAT
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to FAT
- List of Nearest Airports to FAT
- Map of Furthest Airports from FAT
- List of Furthest Airports from FAT
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), Fresno, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,010 miles (or 1,625 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 Ellsworth Air Force Base and Fresno Yosemite International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure 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 |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | FAT / KFAT |
Airport Name: | Fresno Yosemite International Airport |
Location: | Fresno, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 36°46'36"N by 119°43'8"W |
Area Served: | Fresno, California |
Operator/Owner: | City of Fresno |
Airport Type: | Public / Military |
Elevation: | 336 feet (102 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from FAT |
More Information: | FAT Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- 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.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- In March 1944, heavy bomber operational training ended and the 225th Army Air Force Base Unit began training of replacement personnel for deployed heavy bombardment units in the overseas combat theaters.
- The 44th Missile Wing, however, had ably accomplished its deterrence mission.
- Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
- 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.
- 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 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 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.
Facts about Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT):
- Fresno Yosemite International Airport handled 569,879 passengers last year.
- United Airlines was a major player at the airport for many years, operating Boeing 727-100, Boeing 727-200, Boeing 737-200, Boeing 737-300 and Douglas DC-8 jets.
- The closest airport to Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) is Fresno Chandler Executive AirportChandler Municipal Airport (Old) (FCH), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) WSW of FAT.
- Because of Fresno Yosemite International Airport's relatively low elevation of 336 feet, planes can take off or land at Fresno Yosemite 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.
- Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) has 2 runways.
- The vast majority of air traffic in and out of the airport is private aircraft.
- The furthest airport from Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,330 miles (18,234 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
- Today the California Air National Guard 144th Fighter Wing occupies two separate parcels of land at the airport—the main base area and the Munitions Storage Area.