Nonstop flight route between Big Spring, Texas, United States and Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS), Big Spring, Texas, United States and Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN), Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,155 miles (or 8,296 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 Governador Carlos Wilson 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 Governador Carlos Wilson 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.
• In its continuing effort to cut costs, ATC made some major changes in the undergraduate pilot training program.
• 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.
• 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.
• Webb AFB was turned over to the General Services Agency for disposal on 1 January 1978 and the property later turned over to the Big Spring Industrial Park.
• The base was declared surplus and was turned over to the War Assets Administration after being closed.
• Activated on 26 June 1942, the mission of Big Spring AAF was to train aviation cadets in high altitude precision bombing as bombardiers.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN):

• Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Governador Carlos Wilson Airport's relatively low elevation of 190 feet, planes can take off or land at Governador Carlos Wilson 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 Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) is Chuuk International Airport (TKK), which is nearly antipodal to Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (meaning Governador Carlos Wilson Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chuuk International Airport), and is located 12,052 miles (19,395 kilometers) away in Weno, Federated States of Micronesia.
• The closest airport to Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) is Augusto Severo International Airport (NAT), which is located 240 miles (387 kilometers) SW of FEN.
• In addition to being known as "Governador Carlos Wilson Airport", another name for FEN is "Aeroporto Governador Carlos Wilson".
• In 1975 another extension of the runway was made, allowing the operations of aircraft up to the class of a Boeing 737.
• Fernando de Noronha is the biggest island of the archipelago with the same name, located in Brazilian territorial waters, 545 km away from Recife and 360 km away from Natal.