Nonstop flight route between Lorraine, France and Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport (ETZ), Lorraine, France and NAS Key West (NQX), Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,865 miles (or 7,829 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 Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport and NAS Key West, 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 Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport and NAS Key West. 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 Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport (ETZ):

• The furthest airport from Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport (ETZ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport (meaning Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,057 miles (19,404 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In addition to being known as "Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport", another name for ETZ is "Aéroport de Metz-Nancy-Lorraine".
• The closest airport to Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport (ETZ) is Saarbrücken Airport (SCN), which is located 42 miles (68 kilometers) ENE of ETZ.
• Because of Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport's relatively low elevation of 870 feet, planes can take off or land at Metz–Nancy–Lorraine 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.
• Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport (ETZ) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about NAS Key West (NQX):

• NAS Key West (NQX) has 3 runways.
• The seaplane base was designated as a Naval Air Station Key West on 15 December 1940 and served as an operating and training base for fleet aircraft squadrons, to include seaplane, land-based aircraft, carrier-based aircraft and lighter-than-air blimp squadrons.
• The furthest airport from NAS Key West (NQX) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,575 miles (18,629 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The closest airport to NAS Key West (NQX) is Key West International Airport (EYW), which is located only 5 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of NQX.
• On January 18, 1918, the first class of student aviators arrived for seaplane training, which launched the station's reputation as a premier training site for Naval Aviators, a reputation which continues today.
• In 1973, Reconnaissance Attack Wing 1 began relocation from the closing NAS Albany, Georgia with its RA-5C Vigilante, TA-3B Skywarrior and TA-4F/J Skyhawk II aircraft.
• Because of NAS Key West's relatively low elevation of 6 feet, planes can take off or land at NAS Key West 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.
• NAS Key West was to become a focal point during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, which posed the first doorstep threat to America in more than a century.
• On a broader scale, NAS Key West's national security mission supports operational and readiness requirements for the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Air National Guard and Army National Guard units, other federal agencies, and allied military forces.
• In addition to being known as "NAS Key West", other names for NQX include "Naval Air Station Key West" and "NQX[1]".
• By 1943, German submarines were operating so near Key West that they were sinking allied ships within sight of land.