Nonstop flight route between Braintree, England, United Kingdom and Bakersfield, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
![Get maps and more information about MDPGA Wethersfield Get airport maps and more information about MDPGA Wethersfield](images/takeoff-icon.gif)
Arrival Airport:
![Get maps and more information about Meadows Field Get airport maps and more information about Meadows Field](images/landing-icon.gif)
Distance from WXF to BFL:
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- About this route
- WXF Airport Information
- BFL Airport Information
- Facts about WXF
- Facts about BFL
- Map of Nearest Airports to WXF
- List of Nearest Airports to WXF
- Map of Furthest Airports from WXF
- List of Furthest Airports from WXF
- Map of Nearest Airports to BFL
- List of Nearest Airports to BFL
- Map of Furthest Airports from BFL
- List of Furthest Airports from BFL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF), Braintree, England, United Kingdom and Meadows Field (BFL), Bakersfield, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,385 miles (or 8,666 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 MDPGA Wethersfield and Meadows Field, 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 MDPGA Wethersfield and Meadows Field. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | WXF / EGVT |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Braintree, England, United Kingdom |
GPS Coordinates: | 51°58'26"N by 0°30'21"E |
Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
Airport Type: | Military airfield, private airfield |
Elevation: | 322 feet (98 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from WXF |
More Information: | WXF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BFL / KBFL |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Bakersfield, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 35°26'2"N by 119°3'28"W |
Area Served: | Greater Bakersfield metropolitan area |
Operator/Owner: | Kern County |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 510 feet (155 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from BFL |
More Information: | BFL Maps & Info |
Facts about MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF):
- In addition to being known as "MDPGA Wethersfield", another name for WXF is "RAF Wethersfield".
- Because of MDPGA Wethersfield's relatively low elevation of 322 feet, planes can take off or land at MDPGA Wethersfield 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 MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) is London Stansted Airport (STN), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) WSW of WXF.
- The fighter squadrons of the 20th had been in constant rotation since the arrival of the wing at Wethersfield in 1952.
- The Operational Support Unit moved to Wethersfield from RAF Wittering and has been permanently based there since May 1992.
- The furthest airport from MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,856 miles (19,080 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- Woodbridge was operated as a detachment of the 20th FBW until 8 July 1958, when the 20th FBW/TFW handed over control to the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing.
- Wethersfield was allocated by the RAF to the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force in August 1942.
- The closure of US bases in France forced the opening of RAF Greenham Common under 20th TFW management to handle personnel overflow beginning in January 1967.
- In 1951, as a result of the Cold War threat of the Soviet Union, the British provided RAF Wethersfield to the USAF as part of their NATO commitment.
- In June 1955 the 20th FBW started receiving the F-84F "Thunderstreak" in addition to its F-84Ds and F-84Gs.
- MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) has 3 runways.
- Formerly known as RAF Wethersfield, it opened in 1944.
Facts about Meadows Field (BFL):
- The furthest airport from Meadows Field (BFL) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,406 miles (18,356 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
- Meadows Field (BFL) has 2 runways.
- All current airline flights from Meadows Field are on regional jets or turbo-props.
- The closest airport to Meadows Field (BFL) is Shafter Airport (MIT), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) WNW of BFL.
- The terminal previously had an onsite motel, "Skyway Inn," and a restaurant, "Skyway Steakhouse".
- In addition to being known as "Meadows Field", another name for BFL is "Kern County Airport No. 1".
- In late 1943 the United States Army Air Forces acquired usage rights to Meadows Field.
- The main runway, 12L-30R, is the longest in the San Joaquin Valley.
- Because of Meadows Field's relatively low elevation of 510 feet, planes can take off or land at Meadows Field 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.
- With the development of commercial air service Bakersfield needed a purpose-built commercial airport.