Nonstop flight route between St. Michael, Alaska, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SMK to RCA:
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- About this route
- SMK Airport Information
- RCA Airport Information
- Facts about SMK
- Facts about RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMK
- List of Nearest Airports to SMK
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMK
- List of Furthest Airports from SMK
- 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 St. Michael Airport (SMK), St. Michael, Alaska, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,625 miles (or 4,225 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 St. Michael 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 St. Michael 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:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMK / PAMK |
Airport Name: | St. Michael Airport |
Location: | St. Michael, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 63°29'24"N by 162°6'37"W |
Area Served: | St. Michael, Alaska |
Operator/Owner: | State of Alaska DOT&PF - Northern Region |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 98 feet (30 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SMK |
More Information: | SMK 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 St. Michael Airport (SMK):
- Because of St. Michael Airport's relatively low elevation of 98 feet, planes can take off or land at St. Michael 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.
- St. Michael Airport (SMK) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from St. Michael Airport (SMK) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,397 miles (16,732 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
- The closest airport to St. Michael Airport (SMK) is Stebbins Airport (WBB), which is located only 5 miles (9 kilometers) WNW of SMK.
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
- An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
- Military organizations periodically upgrade manpower and machines from time to time to meet new national security requirements and Ellsworth Air Force Base's organizations were no exception.
- 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.
- In 1986, the base and the 28 BMW made extensive preparations to phase out the aging B-52 fleet and become the second home for the advanced B-1B Lancer.
- 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.
- Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.