Nonstop flight route between Durango, Colorado, United States and Spokane, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from DRO to SKA:
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- About this route
- DRO Airport Information
- SKA Airport Information
- Facts about DRO
- Facts about SKA
- Map of Nearest Airports to DRO
- List of Nearest Airports to DRO
- Map of Furthest Airports from DRO
- List of Furthest Airports from DRO
- Map of Nearest Airports to SKA
- List of Nearest Airports to SKA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SKA
- List of Furthest Airports from SKA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO), Durango, Colorado, United States and Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA), Spokane, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 880 miles (or 1,417 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 relatively short distance between Durango–La Plata County Airport and Fairchild Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | DRO / KDRO |
| Airport Name: | Durango–La Plata County Airport |
| Location: | Durango, Colorado, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°9'5"N by 107°45'14"W |
| Area Served: | Durango, Colorado |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 6685 feet (2,038 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DRO |
| More Information: | DRO Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SKA / KSKA |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Spokane, Washington, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 47°36'54"N by 117°39'20"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from SKA |
| More Information: | SKA Maps & Info |
Facts about Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO):
- Because of Durango–La Plata County Airport's high elevation of 6,685 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at DRO. Combined with a high temperature, this could make DRO a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- A number of regional and commuter airlines served DRO, mainly to Denver.
- The closest airport to Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO) is Animas Air Park (AMK), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) WNW of DRO.
- The furthest airport from Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,121 miles (17,897 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- Most flights now are turboprops or regional jets, the exception being Frontier Airlines Airbus A319s nonstop to Denver.American Eagle, flying for American Airlines, has Embraer ERJ-140s and ERJ-145s nonstop to Dallas/Ft.
- Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA):
- In addition to being known as "Fairchild Air Force Base", another name for SKA is "Fairchild AFB".
- On 1 July 1994, the 92d Bomb Wing was re-designated the 92d Air Refueling Wing, and Fairchild AFB was transferred from ACC to Air Mobility Command in a ceremony marking the creation of the largest air refueling wing in the Air Force.
- The furthest airport from Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,665 miles (17,163 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- Since 1942, Fairchild Air Force Base/Station has been a key part of the United States' defense strategy—from World War II repair depot, to Strategic Air Command bomber wing during the Cold War, to Air Mobility Command air refueling wing during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
- The closest airport to Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Spokane International Airport (GEG), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) E of SKA.
- On 15 March 1966, the 336th Combat Crew Training Group was established at Fairchild.
- As military operations in Vietnam escalated in the mid-1960s, the demand for air refueling increased.
