Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Hermes Quijada International Airport (RGA), Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,217 miles (or 13,224 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 Hermes Quijada 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 Hermes Quijada 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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 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 closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
• Fairford was chosen in 1969 as the British test centre for the Concorde aircraft, which continued until 1977.
• RAF Lyneham's position as the primary tactical transport base for the RAF was emphasised in February 1971 when Nos.

Facts about Hermes Quijada International Airport (RGA):

• Hermes Quijada International Airport (RGA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Hermes Quijada International Airport (RGA) is Chita Kadala (HTA), which is nearly antipodal to Hermes Quijada International Airport (meaning Hermes Quijada International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chita Kadala), and is located 12,308 miles (19,807 kilometers) away in Chita, Russia.
• In addition to being known as "Hermes Quijada International Airport", another name for RGA is "Aeropuerto Internacional de Río Grande - Hermes Quijada".
• The closest airport to Hermes Quijada International Airport (RGA) is Ushuaia International Airport (USH), which is located 77 miles (123 kilometers) SSW of RGA.
• Because of Hermes Quijada International Airport's relatively low elevation of 66 feet, planes can take off or land at Hermes Quijada 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.