Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Watertown, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:
(51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W)
Arrival Airport:
(44°54'50"N by 97°9'16"W)
Distance from FFD to ATY:
4,086.38 miles (6,576.38 km)
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- About this route
- FFD Airport Information
- ATY Airport Information
- Facts about FFD
- Facts about ATY
- Map of Nearest Airports to FFD
- List of Nearest Airports to FFD
- Map of Furthest Airports from FFD
- List of Furthest Airports from FFD
- Map of Nearest Airports to ATY
- List of Nearest Airports to ATY
- Map of Furthest Airports from ATY
- List of Furthest Airports from ATY
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Watertown Regional Airport (ATY), Watertown, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,086 miles (or 6,576 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 RAF Fairford and Watertown Regional Airport, 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 RAF Fairford and Watertown Regional Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | FFD / EGVA |
| Airport Name: | RAF Fairford |
| Location: | Fairford, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from FFD |
| More Information: | FFD Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | ATY / KATY |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Watertown, South Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°54'50"N by 97°9'16"W |
| Area Served: | Watertown, South Dakota |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Watertown |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 1749 feet (533 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from ATY |
| More Information: | ATY Maps & Info |
Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):
- On 15 September 2009, it was announced that the USAF will withdraw all their uniformed staff from the station by September 2010, after which it will be run on a "care and maintenance" basis.
- On 12 May 2005, USAFE activated the 501st Combat Support Wing, with headquarters at RAF Alconbury, to provide support to its GSUs in the United Kingdom.
- KC-135 and KC-10 tankers deployed to Fairford supported Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986.
- The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
- The furthest airport from RAF Fairford (FFD) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,898 miles (19,148 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- RAF Fairford was the only TransOceanic Abort Landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle in the UK.
- In 1950, as a result of the beginning of the Cold War, the airfield was transferred to the U.S.
Facts about Watertown Regional Airport (ATY):
- B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator units underwent advanced training before going overseas.
- In addition to being known as "Watertown Regional Airport", another name for ATY is "Watertown Army Airfield".
- The furthest airport from Watertown Regional Airport (ATY) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,571 miles (17,013 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Watertown Regional Airport (ATY) has 2 runways.
- Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 4,975 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 5,824 in 2009 and 7,814 in 2010.
- The closest airport to Watertown Regional Airport (ATY) is Brookings Regional Airport (BKX), which is located 45 miles (73 kilometers) SSE of ATY.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10.00 miles (16.09 km) ENE | RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) | Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom |     |
| 2 | 15.02 miles (24.17 km) SW | RAF Lyneham (LYE) | Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 22.77 miles (36.64 km) ENE | Oxford Airport (OXF) | Oxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 30.10 miles (48.45 km) E | RAF Benson (BEX) | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 36.28 miles (58.38 km) WSW | Bristol Filton Airport (FZO) | Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 42.33 miles (68.12 km) E | RAF High Wycombe (HYC) | High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 44.98 miles (72.38 km) WSW | Bristol Airport (BRS) | Bristol, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 47.23 miles (76.02 km) SE | Lasham Airfield (QLA) | Lasham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 47.50 miles (76.44 km) ESE | Blackbushe Airport (BBS) | Yateley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 47.84 miles (76.99 km) SE | RAF Odiham (ODH) | Odiham, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 49.48 miles (79.64 km) NNE | Coventry Airport (CVT) | Coventry, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 50.42 miles (81.15 km) ENE | Milton Keynes Airport (KYN) | Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 51.85 miles (83.45 km) ESE | Farnborough Airport (FAB) | Farnborough, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 53.35 miles (85.85 km) N | Birmingham Airport (BHX) | Birmingham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 53.92 miles (86.78 km) SSE | Southampton Airport (SOU) | Eastleigh (near Southampton), England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,897.99 miles (19,147.91 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,874.86 miles (19,110.69 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,869.65 miles (19,102.31 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,860.18 miles (19,087.07 km) SE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,839.51 miles (19,053.79 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,834.41 miles (19,045.60 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,833.87 miles (19,044.72 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,822.95 miles (19,027.15 km) SSE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,812.41 miles (19,010.18 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,804.61 miles (18,997.63 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,803.98 miles (18,996.62 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,782.42 miles (18,961.92 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,774.40 miles (18,949.02 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,761.76 miles (18,928.67 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,760.44 miles (18,926.54 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 45.25 miles (72.82 km) SSE | Brookings Regional Airport (BKX) | Brookings, South Dakota, United States | |
| 2 | 62.10 miles (99.95 km) S | Madison Municipal Airport (XMD) | Madison, South Dakota, United States | |
| 3 | 64.19 miles (103.30 km) SW | Huron Regional Airport (HON) | Huron, South Dakota, United States | |
| 4 | 68.49 miles (110.23 km) NNW | Britton Municipal Airport (TTO) | Britton, South Dakota, United States | |
| 5 | 70.67 miles (113.73 km) E | Montevideo-Chippewa County Airport (MVE) | Montevideo, Minnesota, United States | |
| 6 | 71.95 miles (115.79 km) WNW | Aberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Army Airfield (ABR) | Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 72.89 miles (117.30 km) ESE | Southwest Minnesota Regional Airport (MML) | Marshall, Minnesota, United States | |
| 8 | 78.81 miles (126.84 km) ENE | Benson Municipal Airport (BBB) | Benson, Minnesota, United States | |
| 9 | 90.01 miles (144.86 km) SSW | Mitchell Municipal Airport (MHE) | Mitchell, South Dakota, United States | |
| 10 | 94.27 miles (151.71 km) SSE | Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) | Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States | |
| 11 | 95.65 miles (153.93 km) NNE | Harry Stern Airport (WAH) | Wahpeton, North Dakota, United States | |
| 12 | 99.86 miles (160.71 km) E | Willmar Municipal Airport (ILL) | Willmar, Minnesota, United States | |
| 13 | 106.28 miles (171.04 km) NNE | Fergus Falls Municipal Airport (FFM) | Fergus Falls, Minnesota, United States | |
| 14 | 107.81 miles (173.50 km) NE | Alexandria Municipal Airport (AXN) | Alexandria, Minnesota, United States | |
| 15 | 131.23 miles (211.19 km) NW | Ashley Municipal Airport (ASY) | Ashley, North Dakota, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,571.29 miles (17,012.79 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 10,547.63 miles (16,974.72 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 10,534.17 miles (16,953.06 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 10,522.46 miles (16,934.21 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,478.53 miles (16,863.51 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,474.05 miles (16,856.31 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,461.67 miles (16,836.38 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,451.18 miles (16,819.51 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,440.10 miles (16,801.66 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,424.53 miles (16,776.61 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,373.17 miles (16,693.96 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,371.59 miles (16,691.42 km) SE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 13 | 10,342.11 miles (16,643.97 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,331.28 miles (16,626.54 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,321.58 miles (16,610.93 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |