Nonstop flight route between Athens, Georgia, United States and Fairford, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Athens Ben Epps Airport (AHN), Athens, Georgia, United States and RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,082 miles (or 6,569 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 Athens Ben Epps Airport and RAF Fairford, 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 Athens Ben Epps Airport and RAF Fairford. 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 Athens Ben Epps Airport (AHN):

• Because of Athens Ben Epps Airport's relatively low elevation of 808 feet, planes can take off or land at Athens Ben Epps 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 Athens Ben Epps Airport (AHN) is Barrow County Airport (WDR), which is located only 20 miles (32 kilometers) W of AHN.
• Athens Ben Epps Airport (AHN) has 2 runways.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 3,449 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 5,335 enplanements in 2009, and 5,751 in 2010.
• Athens/Ben Epps Airport covers an area of 425 acres at an elevation of 808 feet above mean sea level.
• The furthest airport from Athens Ben Epps Airport (AHN) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,382 miles (18,317 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):

• RAF Lyneham's position as the primary tactical transport base for the RAF was emphasised in February 1971 when Nos.
• The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
• Royal Air Force Fairford or more simply RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England which is currently a standby airfield and therefore not in everyday use.
• In the early years of the Cold War the British and American governments reached an agreement under which elements of the USAF Strategic Air Command would be based in the UK.
• The furthest airport from RAF Fairford (FFD) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,898 miles (19,148 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The 422nd ABG at RAF Croughton and the 420th Air Base Squadron are responsible for the day-to-day operations of RAF Fairford, ensuring that it has adequate resources.
• RAF Fairford was constructed in 1944 to serve as an airfield for British and American troop carriers and gliders for the D-Day invasion of Normandy during World War II.
• On 12 May 2005, USAFE activated the 501st Combat Support Wing, with headquarters at RAF Alconbury, to provide support to its GSUs in the United Kingdom.
• Fairford was chosen in 1969 as the British test centre for the Concorde aircraft, which continued until 1977.
• On 15 September 2009, it was announced that the USAF will withdraw all their uniformed staff from the station by September 2010, after which it will be run on a "care and maintenance" basis.