Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT), Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,481 miles (or 5,602 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 Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah), 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 Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah). 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):

• Fairford was chosen in 1969 as the British test centre for the Concorde aircraft, which continued until 1977.
• In 1950, as a result of the beginning of the Cold War, the airfield was transferred to the U.S.
• Due to RAF Fairford's location and infrastructure, the airfield is designated as a forward operating location for the US Air Force.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• 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 closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.

Facts about Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT):

• The closest airport to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT) is Dibba Airport (BYB), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) E of RKT.
• Because of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah)'s relatively low elevation of 94 feet, planes can take off or land at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) 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.
• Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah)", another name for RKT is "مطار رأس الخيمة الدولي".
• RAK Airways started operating in 2007 but suspended regular operations in 2008 due to the economic crisis.
• The furthest airport from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,734 miles (18,883 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.