Nonstop flight route between Beluga, Alaska, United States and Wichita Falls, Texas, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Beluga Airport (BVU), Beluga, Alaska, United States and Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,962 miles (or 4,768 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 Beluga 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 Beluga 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Beluga Airport (BVU):

• Beluga Airport (BVU) has 2 runways.
• Because of Beluga Airport's relatively low elevation of 87 feet, planes can take off or land at Beluga 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.
• Beluga Airport is a private use airport located in Beluga, in the Kenai Peninsula Borough of the U.S.
• In addition to being known as "Beluga Airport", another name for BVU is "BLG".
• The closest airport to Beluga Airport (BVU) is Tyonek Airport (TYE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSW of BVU.
• The furthest airport from Beluga Airport (BVU) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,552 miles (16,982 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Facts about Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS):

• 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 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 Air Force Base is named in honor of Senator John Morris Sheppard of Texas, chairman of the Senate Military Affairs Committee from 1933 until his death on 9 April 1941.
• In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
• The aircraft mechanics school was transferred to Sheppard from Keesler AFB, Mississippi in April 1949 to make room for expansion of electronic training at that base.
• The Air Force School of Health Care Sciences offered training in dentistry, medicine, nursing, and health-services administration.
• Helicopter pilot training was transferred from Stead AFB, Nevada in October 1965, with H-19, H-43, Bell TH-1F, CH-3C and HH-3E helicopters used for training.
• 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.