Nonstop flight route between St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom and Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom and Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG), Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,822 miles (or 7,761 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 MoD St Athan and Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield, 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 MoD St Athan and Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield. 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 MoD St Athan (DGX):

• The station officially opened as RAF St Athan on 1 September 1938 and the first unit to take up residence was No 4 School of Technical Training.
• 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.
• The two cadet passengers were cousins and were named as Katie Jo Davies, 15, and Nikitta Walters, 14.
• In March 2004, however, DARA announced the loss of 550 jobs at St Athan as part of streamlining to make DARA more efficient and better able to compete with the private sector for lucrative aircraft repair contracts, but also because they lost out to a direct RAF bid for a contract to upgrade the air force's fleet of ageing Harrier jump jet aircraft.
• 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 continued to negotiate the project with the Metrix Consortium, but the price rose several times, reaching £14 billion in mid-2009.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• The last aircraft to be serviced at St Athan, a Vickers VC10, departed the site on 23 February 2012.
• The new academy was claimed to create up to 5000 jobs at St Athan with a £14 billion investment over 25 years with an estimated £57.4 million spent into the local economy.
• After the war, airmen of the Airframe and Engine trades continued to train at St Athan, but in 1955 this training dispersed to RAF Kirkham and RAF Weeton.
• 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.

Facts about Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG):

• The furthest airport from Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,007 miles (17,715 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Because of Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield's high elevation of 4,349 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at DPG. Combined with a high temperature, this could make DPG a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• In 2009, it was announced that Michael AAF will be used for the development and testing of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, which are sent overseas to provide soldiers with an aerial view - via video feed - of combat situations.
• It has been called the "new Area 51" by some, with the Dugway Proving Ground serving as a buffer zone, as the Nevada Test Site served for Groom Lake.
• Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG) currently has only 1 runway.
• MAAF is located just south of Hill Air Force Base's massive Utah Test and Training Range, where F-16 Falcon fighters from Hill train in air-to-air combat and the Air Force tests cruise missiles, and is used occasionally by the Air Force as an emergency landing field.
• Michael Army Airfield is a military airport located at the Dugway Proving Ground and owned by the United States Army.
• The closest airport to Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG) is Delta Municipal Airport (DTA), which is located 61 miles (98 kilometers) SSE of DPG.