Nonstop flight route between Big Spring, Texas, United States and Skien, Telemark, Norway:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS), Big Spring, Texas, United States and Skien Airport, Geiteryggen (SKE), Skien, Telemark, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,004 miles (or 8,053 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 Skien Airport, Geiteryggen, 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 Skien Airport, Geiteryggen. 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):

• 331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
• Webb Air Force Base, previously named Big Spring Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force facility of the Air Training Command that operated from 1951 to 1977 in west Texas within the current city limits of Big Spring.
• 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 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.
• The facility was brought back into service as a primary training installation because of the Korean War and the need for additional pilots.

Facts about Skien Airport, Geiteryggen (SKE):

• The furthest airport from Skien Airport, Geiteryggen (SKE) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,344 miles (18,257 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Discussions of expanding the runway had been carried out since the 1970s, but the issue had stranded as no-one was willing to finance the venture.
• The closest airport to Skien Airport, Geiteryggen (SKE) is Sandefjord Airport, Torp (TRF), which is located 24 miles (39 kilometers) E of SKE.
• Because of Skien Airport, Geiteryggen's relatively low elevation of 463 feet, planes can take off or land at Skien Airport, Geiteryggen 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.
• By October 2009 Vildanden owed Kontorbygg NOK 1.5 million in airport fees.
• In addition to being known as "Skien Airport, Geiteryggen", another name for SKE is "Skien lufthavn, Geiteryggen".
• Skien Airport, Geiteryggen handled 46,995 passengers last year.
• The municipal lot at Gråtenmoen was selected by the appointed municipal airport committee.
• The runway and original facilities at Geiteryggen were built by the aviation club and cost 30,000 Norwegian krone.
• The domestic aviation market was deregulated in 1994 and Teddy Air stated competing with Air Stord on the Bergen route.