Nonstop flight route between Big Spring, Texas, United States and Uden, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS), Big Spring, Texas, United States and Volkel Air Base (UDE), Uden, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,165 miles (or 8,313 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 Volkel Air Base, 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 Volkel Air Base. 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 1968, ATC established a single phase-pilot training squadron concept at Webb.
• The base was declared surplus and was turned over to the War Assets Administration after being closed.
• The AT-11 which was activated to replace the separate air and ground units.
• 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 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.
• Activated on 26 June 1942, the mission of Big Spring AAF was to train aviation cadets in high altitude precision bombing as bombardiers.
• Construction of the Army Air Forces Bombardier School began on 15 May 1942, and the airfield received its first class of cadets on 16 September 1942.
• 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.
• Emblem of the AAF Bombardier School Big Spring AAF

Facts about Volkel Air Base (UDE):

• Volkel Air Base (UDE) has 2 runways.
• Volkel Air Base is one of several military airfields in the Netherlands, and one of the three major operational bases of the RNLAF, the other two being Leeuwarden Air Base and Gilze-Rijen Air Base.
• In addition to being known as "Volkel Air Base", other names for UDE include "Vliegbasis Volkel" and "(Advanced Landing Ground B-80)".
• The furthest airport from Volkel Air Base (UDE) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,886 miles (19,128 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Volkel Air Base's relatively low elevation of 72 feet, planes can take off or land at Volkel Air Base 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 Dutch Naval Aviation Service started flying from Volkel in 1949 for training purposes.
• The closest airport to Volkel Air Base (UDE) is Weeze Airport (NRN), which is located only 20 miles (32 kilometers) E of UDE.