Nonstop flight route between Big Spring, Texas, United States and Rome, Italy:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS), Big Spring, Texas, United States and Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA), Rome, Italy would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,831 miles (or 9,385 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 Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield and Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International 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 Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield and Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport. 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 Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS):

• In August 1972, ATC established a pilot instructor training course for Vietnamese Air Force instructors at Webb AFB, Texas.
• The furthest airport from Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,166 miles (17,969 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Big Spring Army Airfield
• The airfield was activated as Big Spring Air Force Base on 1 October 1951 by the United States Air Force Air Training Command and established the 3560th Pilot Training Wing.
• The closest airport to Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS) is Midland Airpark (MDD), which is located 36 miles (58 kilometers) WSW of BGS.
• Perhaps the most dominant feature on the ATC landscape in 1974 was the serious fuel shortage the command had to contend with for much of the year.
• The airfield and flight line was converted to an uncontrolled/UNICOM-only general aviation airport renamed Big Spring McMahon-Wrinkle Airport, serving the City of Big Spring.
• The facility first was used by the United States Army Air Forces as Big Spring Army Air Field, opening on 28 April 1942 as part of the Central Flying Training Command.

Facts about Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA):

• Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport handled 4,749,251 passengers last year.
• The closest airport to Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA) is Fiumicino – Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO), which is located only 18 miles (30 kilometers) W of CIA.
• Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The terminals were extended at the beginning of 2007.
• Because of Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport's relatively low elevation of 427 feet, planes can take off or land at Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International 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 Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,958 miles (19,244 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In addition to being known as "Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport", other names for CIA include "Rome Ciampino Airport" and "Ciampino–Aeroporto Internazionale G. B. Pastine".
• When the combat units moved out, Air Transport Command used the airport as a major transshipment hub for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel for the remainder of the war.