Nonstop flight route between Marysville, California, United States and Christmas Island, Australia:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from BAB to XCH:
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- About this route
- BAB Airport Information
- XCH Airport Information
- Facts about BAB
- Facts about XCH
- Map of Nearest Airports to BAB
- List of Nearest Airports to BAB
- Map of Furthest Airports from BAB
- List of Furthest Airports from BAB
- Map of Nearest Airports to XCH
- List of Nearest Airports to XCH
- Map of Furthest Airports from XCH
- List of Furthest Airports from XCH
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Beale Air Force Base (BAB), Marysville, California, United States and Christmas Island Airport (XCH), Christmas Island, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,934 miles (or 14,378 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 Beale Air Force Base and Christmas Island Airport, 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 Beale Air Force Base and Christmas Island Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BAB / KBAB |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Marysville, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 39°8'9"N by 121°26'11"W |
View all routes: | Routes from BAB |
More Information: | BAB Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | XCH / YPXM |
Airport Name: | Christmas Island Airport |
Location: | Christmas Island, Australia |
GPS Coordinates: | 10°27'2"S by 105°41'25"E |
Operator/Owner: | Toll Remote Logistics |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 916 feet (279 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from XCH |
More Information: | XCH Maps & Info |
Facts about Beale Air Force Base (BAB):
- In 1962, in order to retain the lineage of its MAJCOM 4-digit combat units and to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its MAJCOM strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate AFCON units, most of which were inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history.
- In addition to being known as "Beale Air Force Base", another name for BAB is "Beale AFB".
- On 30 January 1959, the Air Force announced plans to conduct surveys in the vicinity of Beale to determine the feasibility for missile bases.
- In 1940, the "Camp Beale" area consisted of grassland and rolling hills and the 19th century mining town of Spenceville.
- In 1948, Camp Beale became Beale AFB, its mission being to train bombardier navigators in radar techniques.
- In 1952 Beale AFB was placed in inactive status for conversion to an operational airbase.
- Located in a cantonment area on the outskirts of Beale, the renamed 7th Space Warning Squadron is now an Air Force Space Command unit and it primarily uses its PAVE PAWS radar to detect submarine-launched ballistic missiles and disintegrating spacecraft and space debris.
- The closest airport to Beale Air Force Base (BAB) is Yuba County Airport (MYV), which is located only 8 miles (12 kilometers) WSW of BAB.
- The furthest airport from Beale Air Force Base (BAB) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,251 miles (18,107 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
Facts about Christmas Island Airport (XCH):
- A brief revival of the "old days" happened in 2001 during the "Tampa" crisis when the heightened Royal Australian Air Force traffic was complemented by a large number of Department of Immigration and Citizenship and media charters.
- Because of Christmas Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 916 feet, planes can take off or land at Christmas Island 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.
- Christmas Island Airport is a quiet airport and served 27,286 revenue passengers during financial year 2010-2011.
- Christmas Island Airport (XCH) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), which is nearly antipodal to Christmas Island Airport (meaning Christmas Island Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport), and is located 12,393 miles (19,944 kilometers) away in Barranquilla, Colombia.
- The closest airport to Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Cibeureum Airfield (TSY), which is located 276 miles (445 kilometers) NE of XCH.
- The airport's location at the top of a hill, with a 2% mid-runway gradient, makes it a challenging landing for pilots.
- Christmas Island Airport handled 27,286 passengers last year.