Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and General Servando Canales International Airport (MAM), Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,073 miles (or 8,164 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 General Servando Canales 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 General Servando Canales 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):

• The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of 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.
• 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.
• 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 422nd ABG at RAF Croughton and the 420th Air Base Squadron are responsible for the day-to-day operations of RAF Fairford, ensuring that it has adequate resources.
• 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.
• The runway was completed in 1953, and served as a forward airbase for the first Convair B-36 Peacemaker aircraft from Carswell Air Force Base, Texas.
• In 1950, as a result of the beginning of the Cold War, the airfield was transferred to the U.S.
• RAF Fairford is also the home of the Royal International Air Tattoo, an annual air display.
• 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.

Facts about General Servando Canales International Airport (MAM):

• The furthest airport from General Servando Canales International Airport (MAM) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,152 miles (17,947 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In addition to being known as "General Servando Canales International Airport", another name for MAM is "Aeropuerto Internacional General Servando Canales".
• The closest airport to General Servando Canales International Airport (MAM) is Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (BRO), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) NNE of MAM.
• General Servando Canales International Airport (MAM) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of General Servando Canales International Airport's relatively low elevation of 25 feet, planes can take off or land at General Servando Canales 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.