Nonstop flight route between Chicago/Prospect Heights/Wheeling, Illinois, United States and Decatur, Alabama, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from PWK to DCU:
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- About this route
- PWK Airport Information
- DCU Airport Information
- Facts about PWK
- Facts about DCU
- Map of Nearest Airports to PWK
- List of Nearest Airports to PWK
- Map of Furthest Airports from PWK
- List of Furthest Airports from PWK
- Map of Nearest Airports to DCU
- List of Nearest Airports to DCU
- Map of Furthest Airports from DCU
- List of Furthest Airports from DCU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Chicago Executive Airport (PWK), Chicago/Prospect Heights/Wheeling, Illinois, United States and Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), Decatur, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 518 miles (or 834 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 relatively short distance between Chicago Executive Airport and Pryor Field Regional Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | PWK / KPWK |
Airport Name: | Chicago Executive Airport |
Location: | Chicago/Prospect Heights/Wheeling, Illinois, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 42°6'51"N by 87°54'6"W |
Area Served: | Chicago |
Operator/Owner: | City of Prospect Heights and Village of Wheeling |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 647 feet (197 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from PWK |
More Information: | PWK Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DCU / KDCU |
Airport Name: | Pryor Field Regional Airport |
Location: | Decatur, Alabama, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W |
Area Served: | Decatur, Alabama |
Operator/Owner: | Decatur/Athens Airport Authority |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 592 feet (180 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from DCU |
More Information: | DCU Maps & Info |
Facts about Chicago Executive Airport (PWK):
- The airport can handle executive jets in the 20-seat range, such as the Grumman Gulfstream and the Bombardier Challenger, and larger aircraft occasionally visit.
- In 2007 Chicago Executive's management created a public viewing area east of the south end of Runway 16-34 along Palatine Frontage Road, with parking, a picnic table, bleacher seating and a PA speaker to allow visitors to monitor Air Traffic Control radio communications.
- The furthest airport from Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,069 miles (17,813 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The airport opened in 1925 as Gauthier's Flying Field.
- Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) has 3 runways.
- Charlie Priester kept an FBO at the airport along with a charter company called Priester Aviation.
- Because of Chicago Executive Airport's relatively low elevation of 647 feet, planes can take off or land at Chicago Executive 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 closest airport to Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) is Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) S of PWK.
Facts about Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU):
- The closest airport to Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Huntsville International Airport (HSV), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) E of DCU.
- Because of Pryor Field Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 592 feet, planes can take off or land at Pryor Field Regional 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.
- Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19s as the primary trainer.
- Opened in October 1941 with 4,600 by 4,600 feet square all-direction turf runway.
- The furthest airport from Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,180 miles (17,992 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) currently has only 1 runway.
- In January 2010, the pilot training site was designated a historic landmark and added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
- In 2007, Chris Wright was struck by a propeller as he was "hand propping" starting his plane.
- Situated next to Calhoun Community College, the airport serves the western portion of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area and most of the Decatur Metropolitan Area.