Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Greensboro, North Carolina, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), Greensboro, North Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,841 miles (or 6,181 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 Piedmont Triad International 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 Piedmont Triad International Airport. 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 RAF Fairford (FFD):

• Due to RAF Fairford's location and infrastructure, the airfield is designated as a forward operating location for the US Air Force.
• Fairford was chosen in 1969 as the British test centre for the Concorde aircraft, which continued until 1977.
• KC-135 and KC-10 tankers deployed to Fairford supported Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986.
• In 1950, as a result of the beginning of the Cold War, the airfield was transferred to the U.S.
• 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 constructed in 1944 to serve as an airfield for British and American troop carriers and gliders for the D-Day invasion of Normandy during World War II.
• The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
• RAF Fairford was the only TransOceanic Abort Landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle in the UK.
• Operations staff and maintenance personnel were permanently assigned, but aircraft, aircrews and crew chiefs were temporarily assigned to the 11th Strategic Group for the European Tanker Task Force on rotation.
• Royal Air Force Fairford or more simply RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England which is currently a standby airfield and therefore not in everyday use.

Facts about Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO):

• The closest airport to Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) is Smith Reynolds Airport (INT), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) W of GSO.
• Work on the new facility began in 1978.
• The furthest airport from Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,574 miles (18,626 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The new passenger terminal opened in 1958, replacing the temporary facility that had served since World War II.
• US Airways operates a US Airways Club across from Gate 45.
• The Cargo Terminals have expanded in the last 13 years.
• Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) has 3 runways.
• Because of Piedmont Triad International Airport's relatively low elevation of 926 feet, planes can take off or land at Piedmont Triad International 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.