Nonstop flight route between Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Sikeston, Missouri, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom and Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportHarvey Parks Army Airfield (SIK), Sikeston, Missouri, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,190 miles (or 6,742 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 Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportHarvey Parks Army Airfield, 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 Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportHarvey Parks Army Airfield. 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):

• Due to RAF Fairford's location and infrastructure, the airfield is designated as a forward operating location for the US Air Force.
• 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.
• 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.
• In 1950, as a result of the beginning of the Cold War, the airfield was transferred to the U.S.
• KC-135 and KC-10 tankers deployed to Fairford supported Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986.

Facts about Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportHarvey Parks Army Airfield (SIK):

• The closest airport to Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportHarvey Parks Army Airfield (SIK) is Cape Girardeau Regional Airport (CGI), which is located 23 miles (36 kilometers) N of SIK.
• The furthest airport from Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportHarvey Parks Army Airfield (SIK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,037 miles (17,762 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportHarvey Parks Army Airfield (SIK) currently has only 1 runway.
• Opened in April 1940 as Harvey Parks Airport with 6,600 by 5,280 feet open turf field.
• Since becoming a civil airport, it has become a very popular destination for Army helicopter crews from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
• Because of Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportHarvey Parks Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 315 feet, planes can take off or land at Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportHarvey Parks Army Airfield 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.