Nonstop flight route between Big Spring, Texas, United States and Fairbanks / Fort Wainwright, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from BGS to FBK:
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- About this route
- BGS Airport Information
- FBK Airport Information
- Facts about BGS
- Facts about FBK
- Map of Nearest Airports to BGS
- List of Nearest Airports to BGS
- Map of Furthest Airports from BGS
- List of Furthest Airports from BGS
- Map of Nearest Airports to FBK
- List of Nearest Airports to FBK
- Map of Furthest Airports from FBK
- List of Furthest Airports from FBK
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS), Big Spring, Texas, United States and Ladd Army Airfield (FBK), Fairbanks / Fort Wainwright, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,967 miles (or 4,775 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 Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield and Ladd Army Airfield, 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 Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield and Ladd Army Airfield. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BGS / |
Airport Name: | Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield |
Location: | Big Spring, Texas, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 32°13'5"N by 101°31'17"W |
View all routes: | Routes from BGS |
More Information: | BGS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | FBK / PAFB |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Fairbanks / Fort Wainwright, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 64°50'15"N by 147°36'51"W |
Area Served: | Fort Wainwright |
Operator/Owner: | United States Army |
Airport Type: | Military: Army Airfield |
Elevation: | 454 feet (138 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from FBK |
More Information: | FBK Maps & Info |
Facts about Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS):
- The facility was brought back into service as a primary training installation because of the Korean War and the need for additional pilots.
- Construction of the Army Air Forces Bombardier School began on 15 May 1942, and the airfield received its first class of cadets on 16 September 1942.
- In 1968, ATC established a single phase-pilot training squadron concept at Webb.
- The Air Force established a standard wing structure—a dual deputy concept—in 1963.
- The furthest airport from Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,166 miles (17,969 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- In August 1972, ATC established a pilot instructor training course for Vietnamese Air Force instructors at Webb AFB, Texas.
- In 1956, the Air Defense Command 331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was transferred to Webb from Stewart Air Force Base in New York to defend the southern United States border on air intercept missions as part of the Central Air Defense Force.
- The closest airport to Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS) is Midland Airpark (MDD), which is located 36 miles (58 kilometers) WSW of BGS.
- Webb AFB was turned over to the General Services Agency for disposal on 1 January 1978 and the property later turned over to the Big Spring Industrial Park.
Facts about Ladd Army Airfield (FBK):
- From the late 1940s into the 1950s, Ladd AFB served as the northern hub for Air Force activities in Alaska.
- The furthest airport from Ladd Army Airfield (FBK) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,286 miles (16,554 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- In 1948, as Cold War tensions heightened, the Army's 2nd Infantry sent ground defense soldiers to Ladd
- The closest airport to Ladd Army Airfield (FBK) is Fairbanks International Airport (FAI), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) WSW of FBK.
- In addition to being known as "Ladd Army Airfield", another name for FBK is "(Ladd Air Force Base)".
- When the Air Force was made a separate branch in 1947 the name was changed to Ladd Air Force Base.
- Ladd Army Airfield (FBK) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Ladd Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 454 feet, planes can take off or land at Ladd Army Airfield 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.
- Alaska's transportation infrastructure at the time was so limited and the problem of military supply so acute, it also made sense to concentrate the bases along existing supply lines near Anchorage and Fairbanks.