Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Reno, Nevada, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Reno–Tahoe International Airport (RNO), Reno, Nevada, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,117 miles (or 8,235 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 Reno–Tahoe 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 Reno–Tahoe 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.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• RAF Fairford was the only TransOceanic Abort Landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle in the UK.
• 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.

Facts about Reno–Tahoe International Airport (RNO):

• Reno–Tahoe International Airport handled 3,431,986 passengers last year.
• The closest airport to Reno–Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is Carson Airport (CSN), which is located 21 miles (34 kilometers) S of RNO.
• Because of Reno–Tahoe International Airport's high elevation of 4,415 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at RNO. Combined with a high temperature, this could make RNO a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Reno–Tahoe Airport Authority officials announced in early 2011 that a $5 million remodel of the baggage claim area will begin in late 2011 and be completed in mid to late 2012, the project will bring the new look and feel of the renovated ticket lobby to the baggage claim.
• Reno–Tahoe International Airport (RNO) has 3 runways.
• The furthest airport from Reno–Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,175 miles (17,984 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Reno–Tahoe International was the hub of Reno Air, a now-defunct medium sized airline that had MD-80 and MD-90s to many cities until it was bought by American Airlines and later disposed of in 2001.