Nonstop flight route between David, Chiriquí Province, Panama and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV), David, Chiriquí Province, Panama and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,292 miles (or 8,517 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 Enrique Malek International Airport and MoD St Athan, 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 Enrique Malek International Airport and MoD St Athan. 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 Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV):

• Enrique Malek International Airport is an international airport located in the city of David, Chiriquí in the Republic of Panama.
• On 13 July 1943, there was an accident at this airfield that claimed the life of 12 airmen when their B-17 Flying Fortress stalled during approach and crashed in the runway.
• In addition to being known as "Enrique Malek International Airport", another name for DAV is "Aeropuerto Internacional Enrique Malek".
• Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV) is Coto 47 Airport (OTR), which is located 39 miles (63 kilometers) WNW of DAV.
• The furthest airport from Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Enrique Malek International Airport (meaning Enrique Malek International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,170 miles (19,585 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Because of Enrique Malek International Airport's relatively low elevation of 89 feet, planes can take off or land at Enrique Malek 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.
• An estimated US$12,000,000.00 improvement fund has been passed by the Panamanian legislature that will include runway expansion.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• Just before 1100 GMT on 11 February 2009, two Grob Tutor aircraft flying out of St Athan were involved in a mid-air collision in which two Air Training Corps cadets and their instructors, both RAF pilots, died.
• The furthest airport from MoD St Athan (DGX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The last aircraft to be serviced at St Athan, a Vickers VC10, departed the site on 23 February 2012.
• St Athan also became the major RAF maintenance base for Vulcan, Victor, Buccaner, Phantom, Harrier, Tornado, Jaguar, Hawk and VC10 aircraft, originally under direct RAF control, but latterly under the auspices of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency.
• In March 2003 it was confirmed that a new hi-tech maintenance centre would be built, creating 3,300 jobs.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• During the war a dummy airfield was built using wood and cardboard a few miles west of the original airfield and successful efforts were made to hide the proper field.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• Because of MoD St Athan's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at MoD St Athan 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 MOD later decided that DARA's 'Fast Jets' and 'Engines' businesses would close by April 2007, although the 'Large Aircraft' business would continue and, on 14 April 2005, the Project Red Dragon super-hangar opened and DARA moved its VC10 operations from its existing 'Twin Peaks' hangar into the new facility.
• On 26 August 1993 an ATC civilian instructor was seriously injured and the RAF Volunteer Reserve pilot, Group Captain Roger Sweatman, was killed when their Chipmunk trainer, on an air experience flight, crashed after encountering difficulties during a simulated emergency low-height manoeuvre on take-off.