Nonstop flight route between Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States and Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from NQX to LEA:
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- About this route
- NQX Airport Information
- LEA Airport Information
- Facts about NQX
- Facts about LEA
- Map of Nearest Airports to NQX
- List of Nearest Airports to NQX
- Map of Furthest Airports from NQX
- List of Furthest Airports from NQX
- Map of Nearest Airports to LEA
- List of Nearest Airports to LEA
- Map of Furthest Airports from LEA
- List of Furthest Airports from LEA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between NAS Key West (NQX), Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States and RAAF Learmonth (LEA), Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 11,424 miles (or 18,385 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 NAS Key West and RAAF Learmonth, 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 NAS Key West and RAAF Learmonth. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | NQX / KNQX |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 24°34'32"N by 81°41'20"W |
Operator/Owner: | United States Navy |
Airport Type: | Military: Naval Air Station |
Elevation: | 6 feet (2 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from NQX |
More Information: | NQX Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | LEA / YPLM |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia |
GPS Coordinates: | 22°14'8"S by 114°5'18"E |
Area Served: | Exmouth, Western Australia |
Operator/Owner: | RAAF/Shire of Exmouth |
Airport Type: | Military/Public |
Elevation: | 19 feet (6 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from LEA |
More Information: | LEA Maps & Info |
Facts about NAS Key West (NQX):
- On January 18, 1918, the first class of student aviators arrived for seaplane training, which launched the station's reputation as a premier training site for Naval Aviators, a reputation which continues today.
- The air station is also host to several tenant commands, including Fighter Squadron Composite 111, Strike Fighter Squadron 106 Detachment Key West, the U.S.
- Because of NAS Key West's relatively low elevation of 6 feet, planes can take off or land at NAS Key West 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.
- By 1943, German submarines were operating so near Key West that they were sinking allied ships within sight of land.
- During the 1980s and 1990s, Fighter Squadron 45 was also based at NAS Key West to provide air combat adversary services with A-4 Skyhawk II, F-5E/F Freedom Fighter and F-16N Fighting Falcon aircraft.
- The closest airport to NAS Key West (NQX) is Key West International Airport (EYW), which is located only 5 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of NQX.
- The furthest airport from NAS Key West (NQX) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,575 miles (18,629 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- In 1946, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 was established at NAS Key West and for the next three decades conducted airborne antisubmarine warfare systems evaluation out of Boca Chica, while Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 1 conducted Atlantic Fleet helicopter fleet replacement training in the SH-3 Sea King out of the former seaplane base at Trumbo Point.
- In addition to being known as "NAS Key West", other names for NQX include "Naval Air Station Key West" and "NQX[1]".
- NAS Key West is a state-of-the-art training facility for air-to-air combat fighter aircraft of all military services, with perfect flying weather year round and unparalleled aerial ranges that offer aircrew training within minutes after takeoff.
- NAS Key West (NQX) has 3 runways.
Facts about RAAF Learmonth (LEA):
- Learmonth Airport was ranked 49th in Australia for the number of revenue passengers served in financial year 2012-2013.
- On 7 October 2008, Qantas Flight 72 made an emergency landing at RAAF Learmonth.
- RAAF Learmonth, also known as Learmonth Airport, is a joint use Royal Australian Air Force base and civil airport.
- In addition to being known as "RAAF Learmonth", another name for LEA is "Learmonth Airport".
- The closest airport to RAAF Learmonth (LEA) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is located 127 miles (204 kilometers) NE of LEA.
- The furthest airport from RAAF Learmonth (LEA) is Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG), which is nearly antipodal to RAAF Learmonth (meaning RAAF Learmonth is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport), and is located 12,175 miles (19,594 kilometers) away in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- RAAF Learmonth handled 90,861 passengers last year.
- Because of RAAF Learmonth's relatively low elevation of 19 feet, planes can take off or land at RAAF Learmonth 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.
- During World War II a little-known landing field was constructed on the western shore of Exmouth Gulf.
- RAAF Learmonth (LEA) currently has only 1 runway.