Nonstop flight route between Phoenix, Arizona, United States and Fairford, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA), Phoenix, Arizona, United States and RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,199 miles (or 8,366 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 Phoenix–Mesa Gateway 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 Phoenix–Mesa Gateway 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 Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA):

• As the base was being shut down, it was decided that, with the growing traffic at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, an alternative airport would be needed.
• Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) has 3 runways.
• Due to the changing market, phase two, three and four are likely to change.
• The furthest airport from Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,452 miles (18,429 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The closest airport to Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) is Falcon Field (MSC), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) NNW of AZA.
• In addition to being known as "Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport", another name for AZA is "IWA".
• In 2004 charter airline Ryan International Airlines began MD-82 flights to Bullhead City International Airport in Bullhead City, Arizona, next to Laughlin, Nevada and many resorts.
• In 1994, the Willams Gateway Airport Authority was established with a three member board with representation from the three cities immediately adjacent to Williams Field.
• In recent years, the airport has again become a center of flight training.
• In a press release on September 17, 2007, the Williams Gateway Airport Authority governing board approved a name change for Williams Gateway Airport effective October 15, 2007 to Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport.

Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):

• The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
• 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.
• On 14 January 2004, the 420th Air Base Group was established at RAF Fairford to improve the control of its geographically separated units that had been aligned beneath the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall.
• RAF Fairford is also the home of the Royal International Air Tattoo, an annual air display.
• Operations staff and maintenance personnel were permanently assigned, but aircraft, aircrews and crew chiefs were temporarily assigned to the 11th Strategic Group for the European Tanker Task Force on rotation.
• 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.