Nonstop flight route between North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, United States and Catania, Italy:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Wilkes County Airport (IKB), North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, United States and Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY), Catania, Italy would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,047 miles (or 8,122 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 Wilkes County Airport and Naval Air Station Sigonella, 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 Wilkes County Airport and Naval Air Station Sigonella. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Wilkes County Airport (IKB):

• The closest airport to Wilkes County Airport (IKB) is Hickory Regional Airport (HKY), which is located 37 miles (60 kilometers) SSW of IKB.
• The furthest airport from Wilkes County Airport (IKB) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,508 miles (18,521 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Wilkes County Airport", another name for IKB is "UKF".
• Wilkes County Airport (IKB) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY):

• On 1 April 2004, the Defense Logistics Agency opened Defense Depot Sigonella Italy on NAS II to serve as a supply base for the Mediterranean.
• Because of Naval Air Station Sigonella's relatively low elevation of 79 feet, planes can take off or land at Naval Air Station Sigonella 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.
• One of Sigonella's first buildings was what is now the American Forces Network building.
• The closest airport to Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) is Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) ENE of NSY.
• Among the aircraft that fly from this island base are U.S.
• The furthest airport from Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,695 miles (18,821 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• On the night of 10 October 1985, there were tense hours on NAS II when the Italian Carabinieri, Italian Air Force, and the US Army's Delta Force came close to firing upon one another following the interception by Navy F-14 Tomcat fighters of an Egyptian Boeing 737 airliner carrying the hijackers of the Italian cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, which had been commandeered by members of the PLO on 7 October.
• Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Naval Air Station Sigonella", other names for NSY include "Base aerea di Sigonella" and "NAS Sigonella".