Nonstop flight route between Banjul, Gambia and Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Banjul International Airport (BJL), Banjul, Gambia and RAF Lyneham (LYE), Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,761 miles (or 4,443 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 Banjul International Airport and RAF Lyneham, 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 Banjul International Airport and RAF Lyneham. 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 Banjul International Airport (BJL):

• The furthest airport from Banjul International Airport (BJL) is Kirakira Airport (IRA), which is nearly antipodal to Banjul International Airport (meaning Banjul International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Kirakira Airport), and is located 12,214 miles (19,657 kilometers) away in Kirakira, Makira Island, Solomon Islands.
• The closest airport to Banjul International Airport (BJL) is Ziguinchor Airport (ZIG), which is located 60 miles (96 kilometers) SSE of BJL.
• Because of Banjul International Airport's relatively low elevation of 95 feet, planes can take off or land at Banjul 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.
• Banjul International Airport (BJL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The head office of the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority is located on the airport property.
• In the event of an emergency on any of the NASA Space Shuttles, Banjul International Airport had been selected as an augmented landing site.

Facts about RAF Lyneham (LYE):

• Royal Air Force Station Lyneham or more simply RAF Lyneham is a former Royal Air Force station located 6.3 miles north east of Chippenham, Wiltshire and 10.3 miles south west of Swindon, Wiltshire, England.
• RAF Lyneham received the first of 25 brand-new Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules on 23 November 1999, to be operated by Nos.
• RAF Lyneham (LYE) has 2 runways.
• In 1956, with the arrival of the de Havilland Comet operated by 216 Squadron, the main runway was extended from 6,000 feet to its present length of 7,830 feet.
• The airfield became renowned for being the "gateway" between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan.
• Because of RAF Lyneham's relatively low elevation of 512 feet, planes can take off or land at RAF Lyneham 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 closest airport to RAF Lyneham (LYE) is RAF Fairford (FFD), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) NE of LYE.
• The furthest airport from RAF Lyneham (LYE) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,913 miles (19,172 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• From 1958 Lyneham became one of the 18 Stations designated as dispersal airfields for the RAF's nuclear deterrent V bomber Force.
• Lyneham's first runways were constructed during 1940 and 1941, the longest being 4,375 ft, the other 3,542 ft.
• A stone memorial commemorating the RAF's use of the station for over 70 years was unveiled on 1 June 2012.