Nonstop flight route between Ahe, French Polynesia and Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ahe Airport (AHE), Ahe, French Polynesia and United States Air Force Academy (AFF), Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,555 miles (or 7,331 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 Ahe Airport and United States Air Force Academy, 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 Ahe Airport and United States Air Force Academy. 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 Ahe Airport (AHE):

• Because of Ahe Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Ahe 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 Ahe Airport (AHE) is Khartoum International Airport (KRT), which is nearly antipodal to Ahe Airport (meaning Ahe Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Khartoum International Airport), and is located 12,324 miles (19,833 kilometers) away in Khartoum, Sudan.
• The closest airport to Ahe Airport (AHE) is Manihi Airport (XMH), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) E of AHE.
• Ahe Airport (AHE) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about United States Air Force Academy (AFF):

• The furthest airport from United States Air Force Academy (AFF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,934 miles (17,596 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The closest airport to United States Air Force Academy (AFF) is City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) SSE of AFF.
• The United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School is a program offered to selected individuals who were not able to obtain appointments directly to the Academy.
• Prior to the Academy's establishment, air power advocates had been pushing for a separate air force academy for decades.
• The early Air Force Academy leadership faced monumental tasks, including the development of an appropriate curriculum, establishment of a faculty, design of a distinctive cadet uniform, oversight of the construction of the permanent site, and the creation of a structure for military and flight training.
• Many displays around the Cadet Area commemorate heroes and air power pioneers, and serve as an inspiration to cadets.
• Many Academy graduates of this era served with distinction in the Vietnam War.
• The effects of the anti-war movement were felt at the Academy as well.