Nonstop flight route between Enid, Oklahoma, United States and Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Vance Air Force Base (END), Enid, Oklahoma, United States and King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,480 miles (or 15,256 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 Vance Air Force Base and King Shaka International, 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 Vance Air Force Base and King Shaka International. 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 Vance Air Force Base (END):

• The first aircraft flown at Vance was the BT-13A, followed shortly by the BT-15.
• In addition to being known as "Vance Air Force Base", another name for END is "Vance ANGB".
• The furthest airport from Vance Air Force Base (END) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,825 miles (17,422 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Construction began on 12 July 1941 for a cost of $4,034,583.
• The closest airport to Vance Air Force Base (END) is Enid Woodring Regional Airport (WDG), which is located only 8 miles (12 kilometers) ENE of END.
• The facility was assigned to the AAF Gulf Coast Training Center, with the Army Air Force Pilot School activated, in which flight cadets were taught basic flight using two-seater training aircraft.

Facts about King Shaka International (DUR):

• The furthest airport from King Shaka International (DUR) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,682 miles (18,801 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• King Shaka International Airport, also known as La Mercy Airport, and abbreviated KSIA, is the primary airport serving Durban, South Africa.
• Because of King Shaka International's relatively low elevation of 295 feet, planes can take off or land at King Shaka International 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 terminal does not have a public viewing deck, which has attracted public criticism.
• The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• The final obstacle was a delay in the approval of the project's Environmental Impact Assessment by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• Despite wide expectations that the airport would be named "King Shaka International Airport", it emerged in October 2009 that the airport needed to undergo a formal naming process.
• The project was revived in the late 1990s when the limitations of Durban International Airport became apparent.