Nonstop flight route between College Park, Maryland, United States and Fairford, England, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from CGS to FFD:
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- About this route
- CGS Airport Information
- FFD Airport Information
- Facts about CGS
- Facts about FFD
- Map of Nearest Airports to CGS
- List of Nearest Airports to CGS
- Map of Furthest Airports from CGS
- List of Furthest Airports from CGS
- Map of Nearest Airports to FFD
- List of Nearest Airports to FFD
- Map of Furthest Airports from FFD
- List of Furthest Airports from FFD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between College Park Airport (CGS), College Park, Maryland, United States and RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,585 miles (or 5,770 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 College Park Airport and RAF Fairford, 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 College Park Airport and RAF Fairford. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | CGS / KCGS |
Airport Name: | College Park Airport |
Location: | College Park, Maryland, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 38°58'50"N by 76°55'20"W |
Operator/Owner: | Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 48 feet (15 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from CGS |
More Information: | CGS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | FFD / EGVA |
Airport Name: | RAF Fairford |
Location: | Fairford, England, United Kingdom |
GPS Coordinates: | 51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W |
Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
View all routes: | Routes from FFD |
More Information: | FFD Maps & Info |
Facts about College Park Airport (CGS):
- Since the 9/11 attacks, and owing to the airport's proximity to the national capital, the operations of the airport have been severely restricted by the Transportation Security Administration in the interest of national security, but civilian pilots are still free to use the airport after going through a one-time background check procedure.
- The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission purchased the Airport in 1973 and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
- The closest airport to College Park Airport (CGS) is Bolling Air Force Base (BOF), which is located only 11 miles (17 kilometers) SSW of CGS.
- In 1911, the nation's first military aviation school was opened at College Park, with newly trained pilots then-Lt.
- Because of College Park Airport's relatively low elevation of 48 feet, planes can take off or land at College Park 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.
- Civilian aviation began at College Park with Rex Smith, an inventor and patent attorney, who operated the Rex Smith Aeroplane Company.
- The College Park Aviation Museum houses antique and reproduction aircraft associated with the history of College Park Airport.
- College Park Airport (CGS) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from College Park Airport (CGS) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,684 miles (18,803 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):
- RAF Fairford was constructed in 1944 to serve as an airfield for British and American troop carriers and gliders for the D-Day invasion of Normandy during World War II.
- Due to the deteriorating airfield facilities and its unique NATO heavy bomber mission, RAF Fairford underwent a $100 million upgrade of its runway and fuel systems in the largest NATO funded airfield construction project within a NATO country since the end of the Cold War.
- On 15 September 2009, it was announced that the USAF will withdraw all their uniformed staff from the station by September 2010, after which it will be run on a "care and maintenance" basis.
- The furthest airport from RAF Fairford (FFD) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,898 miles (19,148 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- RAF Fairford is also the home of the Royal International Air Tattoo, an annual air display.
- The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
- Fairford was chosen in 1969 as the British test centre for the Concorde aircraft, which continued until 1977.
- The runway was completed in 1953, and served as a forward airbase for the first Convair B-36 Peacemaker aircraft from Carswell Air Force Base, Texas.