Nonstop flight route between Wichita, Kansas, United States and St. Mary's, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from IAB to KSM:
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- About this route
- IAB Airport Information
- KSM Airport Information
- Facts about IAB
- Facts about KSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to IAB
- List of Nearest Airports to IAB
- Map of Furthest Airports from IAB
- List of Furthest Airports from IAB
- Map of Nearest Airports to KSM
- List of Nearest Airports to KSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from KSM
- List of Furthest Airports from KSM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield (IAB), Wichita, Kansas, United States and St. Mary's Airport (KSM), St. Mary's, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,204 miles (or 5,156 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 McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield and St. Mary's Airport, 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 McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield and St. Mary's Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | IAB / KIAB |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Wichita, Kansas, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°37'23"N by 97°16'1"W |
View all routes: | Routes from IAB |
More Information: | IAB Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | KSM / PASM |
Airport Name: | St. Mary's Airport |
Location: | St. Mary's, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 62°3'38"N by 163°18'6"W |
Operator/Owner: | Alaska DOT&PF |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 312 feet (95 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from KSM |
More Information: | KSM Maps & Info |
Facts about McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield (IAB):
- By the summer of 1950, Boeing was ready to turn out the first production models of the B-47, and the United States Air Force sought to make Wichita Airport a permanent military installation.
- Air Training Command was host at the base from 1951 through 1958, training B-47 aircrews.
- The Boeing B-47 Stratojet was the first swept-winged jet bomber built in quantity for any air force, and was the mainstay of the medium-bombing strength of the Strategic Air Command all throughout the 1950s.
- Other facilities at the airport, however, were meager.
- The closest airport to McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield (IAB) is Cessna Aircraft Field (CEA), which is located only 2 miles (3 kilometers) NNE of IAB.
- In October 1962, the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing was reactivated at McConnell with four fighter squadrons.
- In August 1941, the Kansas National Guard 127th Observation Squadron was activated as the first military unit assigned to the Wichita airport.
- The Air Force was not the sole occupant during this period.
- The furthest airport from McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield (IAB) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,740 miles (17,285 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- McConnell Air Force Base was known during the first part of its existence as the Wichita Municipal Airport.
- In addition to being known as "McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield", another name for IAB is "McConnell AFB".
Facts about St. Mary's Airport (KSM):
- The closest airport to St. Mary's Airport (KSM) is Mountain Village Airport (MOU), which is located only 13 miles (20 kilometers) W of KSM.
- Because of St. Mary's Airport's relatively low elevation of 312 feet, planes can take off or land at St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's Airport (KSM) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,494 miles (16,889 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
- St. Mary's Airport (KSM) has 2 runways.