Nonstop flight route between Blackpool, England, United Kingdom and Wichita Falls, Texas, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from BLK to SPS:
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- About this route
- BLK Airport Information
- SPS Airport Information
- Facts about BLK
- Facts about SPS
- Map of Nearest Airports to BLK
- List of Nearest Airports to BLK
- Map of Furthest Airports from BLK
- List of Furthest Airports from BLK
- Map of Nearest Airports to SPS
- List of Nearest Airports to SPS
- Map of Furthest Airports from SPS
- List of Furthest Airports from SPS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Blackpool International Airport (BLK), Blackpool, England, United Kingdom and Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,571 miles (or 7,356 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 Blackpool International Airport and Sheppard Air Force 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 Blackpool International Airport and Sheppard Air Force Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BLK / EGNH |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Blackpool, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 53°46'18"N by 3°1'42"W |
| Area Served: | Blackpool Cumbria Lancashire Preston |
| Operator/Owner: | Balfour Beatty |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 34 feet (10 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BLK |
| More Information: | BLK Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SPS / KSPS |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Wichita Falls, Texas, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 33°59'20"N by 98°29'30"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from SPS |
| More Information: | SPS Maps & Info |
Facts about Blackpool International Airport (BLK):
- Because of Blackpool International Airport's relatively low elevation of 34 feet, planes can take off or land at Blackpool 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.
- The closest airport to Blackpool International Airport (BLK) is Warton Aerodrome (WRT), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) ESE of BLK.
- During 2011 the airport has undergone a few changes on the airfield itself.
- With the growth of the airport, a new carrier, the ACMI company, Jetstream Executive, operating under the name, Jetstream Express, introduced flights in 2007 from the airport to Belfast City Airport, Aberdeen Airport and Southampton Airport.
- The RAF also selected Blackpool as one of its training wings due to the availability of accommodation.
- In addition to being known as "Blackpool International Airport", another name for BLK is "Squires Gate Airport".
- The furthest airport from Blackpool International Airport (BLK) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,823 miles (19,027 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
- Blackpool International Airport handled 262,630 passengers last year.
- Blackpool International Airport (BLK) has 2 runways.
- Scheduled flights were resumed by Isle of Man Air Services in summer 1946.
Facts about Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS):
- As of September 2013, Brigadier General Scott Kindsvater is the commander of the 82d Training Wing, and he concurrently serves as the installation commander of Sheppard AFB.
- The closest airport to Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS) is Kickapoo Downtown Airport (KIP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) S of SPS.
- The host unit on Sheppard Air Force Base is the 82nd Training Wing whose mission makes it the most diversified training base within the Air Education and Training Command.
- Control and accountability for Sheppard Field was transferred to the Department of the Air Force 1 August 1948 and was reactivated 15 August 1948 to supplement Lackland AFB, Texas, as a basic training center renamed as Sheppard AFB.
- The furthest airport from Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,952 miles (17,626 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- Sheppard Field reached its peak strength of 46,340 people while serving as a separation center for troops being discharged following World War II from September through November 1945.
- In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
- During World War II, then-Sheppard Field conducted basic training, and it also trained glider mechanics, technical and flying training instructors and B-29 Superfortress flight engineers.
- The 3630th Flying Training Wing was activated in 1965, and it assumed the helicopter training program.
- It was officially opened as an Army Air Corps training center on 17 October 1941, following the arrival of the first military members on 14 June.
