Nonstop flight route between Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, United States and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from BIF to DSM:
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- About this route
- BIF Airport Information
- DSM Airport Information
- Facts about BIF
- Facts about DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to BIF
- List of Nearest Airports to BIF
- Map of Furthest Airports from BIF
- List of Furthest Airports from BIF
- Map of Nearest Airports to DSM
- List of Nearest Airports to DSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from DSM
- List of Furthest Airports from DSM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Biggs Army Airfield (BIF), Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, United States and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 970 miles (or 1,561 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 relatively short distance between Biggs Army Airfield and Des Moines International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BIF / KBIF |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 31°50'57"N by 106°22'47"W |
| Operator/Owner: | U.S. Army ATCA-ASO |
| Airport Type: | Military |
| Elevation: | 3946 feet (1,203 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BIF |
| More Information: | BIF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | DSM / KDSM |
| Airport Name: | Des Moines International Airport |
| Location: | Des Moines, Iowa, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 41°32'2"N by 93°39'47"W |
| Area Served: | Des Moines, Iowa |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Des Moines |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 958 feet (292 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DSM |
| More Information: | DSM Maps & Info |
Facts about Biggs Army Airfield (BIF):
- Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) currently has only 1 runway.
- The 97th experienced two mission changes in 1955.
- A period of organization and continued construction followed, with II Bomber Command taking over training.
- The closest airport to Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) is El Paso International Airport (ELP), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) S of BIF.
- The furthest airport from Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,387 miles (18,325 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- The 97th Air Refueling Squadron, activated in March 1949, saw its manning increase as it received its first KB-29P in January 1950.
- In 1966, the USAF closed Biggs AFB in a budgetary move and released the base for Army use.
- In addition to being known as "Biggs Army Airfield", another name for BIF is "Biggs Air Force BaseBiggs Field".
- On 27 September 1947, Biggs Army Airfield became Biggs Air Force Base with the establishment of the United States Air Force, replacing the Army Air Forces.
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- On March 13, 2008, an Atlanta-bound ASA flight was delayed more than five hours when a mouse was discovered shortly before take-off from DSM.
- In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.
- Interior renovation work began in 2009 on the airport and concluded in 2010.
- The closest airport to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of DSM.
- The furthest airport from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,789 miles (17,363 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Because of Des Moines International Airport's relatively low elevation of 958 feet, planes can take off or land at Des Moines 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.
- On December 1, 2007, a United Express plane carrying 44 passengers slid off a taxiway while taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
- In addition to work inside the passenger terminal, the airport is building a rental car facility and new parking facilities.
- The airport hosts the Des Moines Air National Guard Base and 132d Fighter Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard.
