Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Lansing, Michigan, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Capital Region International Airport (LAN), Lansing, Michigan, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,721 miles (or 5,988 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 Capital Region 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 Capital Region 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):

• 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.
• 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.
• In 1950, as a result of the beginning of the Cold War, the airfield was transferred to the U.S.
• Due to the deteriorating airfield facilities and its unique NATO heavy bomber mission, RAF Fairford underwent a $100 million upgrade of its runway and fuel systems in the largest NATO funded airfield construction project within a NATO country since the end of the Cold War.
• 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.
• On 14 January 2004, the 420th Air Base Group was established at RAF Fairford to improve the control of its geographically separated units that had been aligned beneath the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall.

Facts about Capital Region International Airport (LAN):

• Because of Capital Region International Airport's relatively low elevation of 861 feet, planes can take off or land at Capital Region 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.
• In 1940 the original terminal building, a 100-by-100-foot concrete hangar and an adjoining office wing at the west end of the airport were built.
• The furthest airport from Capital Region International Airport (LAN) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,212 miles (18,044 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• President Bill Clinton landed at the airport aboard Air Force One on July 22, 1999, to hold a forum on Medicare at Lansing Community College.
• Capital Region International Airport (LAN) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to Capital Region International Airport (LAN) is Jackson County Airport (JXN), which is located 36 miles (59 kilometers) S of LAN.
• In November 2009 Lockheed Martin, operator of the flight service station located at Capital Region International Airport, announced the closing of the service station, effective February 2010.
• A Concierge Travel Center opened at the airport in May 2010, offering the ability to book airline tickets, cruises, tours, car rentals, and hotel rooms.