Nonstop flight route between Gbangbatok, Sierra Leone and Spokane, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from GBK to SKA:
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- About this route
- GBK Airport Information
- SKA Airport Information
- Facts about GBK
- Facts about SKA
- Map of Nearest Airports to GBK
- List of Nearest Airports to GBK
- Map of Furthest Airports from GBK
- List of Furthest Airports from GBK
- Map of Nearest Airports to SKA
- List of Nearest Airports to SKA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SKA
- List of Furthest Airports from SKA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Gbangbatok Airport (GBK), Gbangbatok, Sierra Leone and Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA), Spokane, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,518 miles (or 10,489 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 Gbangbatok Airport and Fairchild 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 Gbangbatok Airport and Fairchild 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: | GBK / GFGK |
Airport Name: | Gbangbatok Airport |
Location: | Gbangbatok, Sierra Leone |
GPS Coordinates: | 7°48'45"N by 12°22'40"W |
Area Served: | Gbangbatok |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 75 feet (23 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from GBK |
More Information: | GBK Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SKA / KSKA |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Spokane, Washington, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 47°36'54"N by 117°39'20"W |
View all routes: | Routes from SKA |
More Information: | SKA Maps & Info |
Facts about Gbangbatok Airport (GBK):
- Because of Gbangbatok Airport's relatively low elevation of 75 feet, planes can take off or land at Gbangbatok 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.
- The furthest airport from Gbangbatok Airport (GBK) is Mota Lava Airport (MTV), which is nearly antipodal to Gbangbatok Airport (meaning Gbangbatok Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Mota Lava Airport), and is located 12,032 miles (19,364 kilometers) away in Mota Lava, Vanuatu.
- The closest airport to Gbangbatok Airport (GBK) is Sherbro International Airport (BTE), which is located 22 miles (35 kilometers) SSW of GBK.
- Gbangbatok Airport (GBK) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA):
- Fairchild AFB was established in 1942 as the Spokane Air Depot.
- The weapons storage area for the bombers was located south of the runway at Deep Creek Air Force Station, a separate installation constructed from 1950 to 1953 by the Atomic Energy Commission and operated by the Air Materiel Command.
- On 1 July 1994, the 92d Bomb Wing was re-designated the 92d Air Refueling Wing, and Fairchild AFB was transferred from ACC to Air Mobility Command in a ceremony marking the creation of the largest air refueling wing in the Air Force.
- As military operations in Vietnam escalated in the mid-1960s, the demand for air refueling increased.
- On 1 September 1991, under Air Force reorganization, the 92d Bombardment Wing was re-designated the 92d Wing, emphasizing a dual bombing and refueling role.
- The closest airport to Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Spokane International Airport (GEG), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) E of SKA.
- On 15 March 1966, the 336th Combat Crew Training Group was established at Fairchild.
- The furthest airport from Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,665 miles (17,163 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- From 1942 until 1946, the base served as a repair depot for damaged aircraft returning from the Pacific Theater.
- In addition to being known as "Fairchild Air Force Base", another name for SKA is "Fairchild AFB".