Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Columbus, Nebraska, United States:
Departure Airport:
(51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W)
Arrival Airport:
(41°26'53"N by 97°20'34"W)
Distance from FFD to OLU:
4,261.75 miles (6,858.61 km)
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- About this route
- FFD Airport Information
- OLU Airport Information
- Facts about FFD
- Facts about OLU
- 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 OLU
- List of Nearest Airports to OLU
- Map of Furthest Airports from OLU
- List of Furthest Airports from OLU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Columbus Municipal Airport (OLU), Columbus, Nebraska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,262 miles (or 6,859 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 Columbus Municipal 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 Columbus Municipal 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: | OLU / KOLU |
| Airport Name: | Columbus Municipal Airport |
| Location: | Columbus, Nebraska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 41°26'53"N by 97°20'34"W |
| Area Served: | Columbus, Nebraska |
| Operator/Owner: | Columbus Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 1447 feet (441 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from OLU |
| More Information: | OLU Maps & Info |
Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):
- 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 closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
- KC-135 and KC-10 tankers deployed to Fairford supported Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986.
- RAF Fairford was the only TransOceanic Abort Landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle in the UK.
- 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.
- In the early years of the Cold War the British and American governments reached an agreement under which elements of the USAF Strategic Air Command would be based in the UK.
Facts about Columbus Municipal Airport (OLU):
- The closest airport to Columbus Municipal Airport (OLU) is Norfolk Regional Airport (OFK), which is located 37 miles (60 kilometers) N of OLU.
- Columbus Municipal Airport (OLU) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Columbus Municipal Airport (OLU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,601 miles (17,060 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
| 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 | 37.44 miles (60.26 km) N | Norfolk Regional Airport (OFK) | Norfolk, Nebraska, United States | |
| 2 | 38.53 miles (62.01 km) ENE | Scribner State AirportScribner Army Airfield (SCB) | Scribner, Nebraska, United States | |
| 3 | 42.60 miles (68.55 km) E | Fremont Municipal Airport (FET) | Fremont, Nebraska, United States | |
| 4 | 51.22 miles (82.42 km) SE | Lincoln Airport (LNK) | Lincoln, Nebraska, United States | |
| 5 | 60.24 miles (96.94 km) WSW | Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI) | Grand Island, Nebraska, United States | |
| 6 | 66.18 miles (106.51 km) ESE | Millard Airport (MIQ) | Omaha, Nebraska, United States | |
| 7 | 75.73 miles (121.87 km) E | Eppley Airfield (OMA) | Omaha, Nebraska, United States | |
| 8 | 77.85 miles (125.28 km) ESE | Offutt Air Force Base (OFF) | Omaha, Nebraska, United States | |
| 9 | 81.17 miles (130.63 km) SW | Hastings Municipal Airport (HSI) | Hastings, Nebraska, United States | |
| 10 | 82.31 miles (132.47 km) NE | Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) | Sioux City, Iowa, United States | |
| 11 | 83.18 miles (133.87 km) E | Council Bluffs Municipal Airport (CBF) | Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States | |
| 12 | 85.01 miles (136.81 km) SSE | Beatrice Municipal Airport (BIE) | Beatrice, Nebraska, United States | |
| 13 | 98.75 miles (158.92 km) NW | O'Neill Municipal Airport (ONL) | O'Neill, Nebraska, United States | |
| 14 | 99.95 miles (160.85 km) WSW | Kearney Regional Airport (EAR) | Kearney, Nebraska, United States | |
| 15 | 101.50 miles (163.34 km) N | Chan Gurney Municipal Airport (YKN) | Yankton, South Dakota, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,600.55 miles (17,059.89 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 10,577.68 miles (17,023.08 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 10,558.74 miles (16,992.60 km) SE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 4 | 10,556.90 miles (16,989.64 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,553.86 miles (16,984.75 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,516.33 miles (16,924.35 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,501.92 miles (16,901.16 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,492.24 miles (16,885.58 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,490.10 miles (16,882.14 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,480.93 miles (16,867.37 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,461.75 miles (16,836.51 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,441.12 miles (16,803.31 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,419.01 miles (16,767.73 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,390.93 miles (16,722.54 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,388.04 miles (16,717.88 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |