Nonstop flight route between Franklin, Virginia, United States and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Franklin Municipal Airport (FKN), Franklin, Virginia, United States and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,624 miles (or 5,833 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 Franklin Municipal Airport and MoD St Athan, 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 Franklin Municipal Airport and MoD St Athan. 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 Franklin Municipal Airport (FKN):

• In addition to being known as "Franklin Municipal Airport", another name for FKN is "John Beverly Rose Field".
• Franklin Municipal Airport (FKN) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Franklin Municipal Airport (FKN) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,734 miles (18,884 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Franklin Municipal Airport's relatively low elevation of 41 feet, planes can take off or land at Franklin Municipal 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.
• The closest airport to Franklin Municipal Airport (FKN) is Naval Station Norfolk (NGU), which is located 37 miles (59 kilometers) ENE of FKN.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• The base has been home to the RAF No.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• Because of MoD St Athan's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at MoD St Athan 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.
• The only squadrons to operate out of St Athan on a regular basis are the University of Wales Air Squadron, flying Grob Tutors and No 634 Volunteer Gliding Squadron using Vigilant T.1s.
• The furthest airport from MoD St Athan (DGX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The training to be carried out at St Athan was to be specialist phase 2 and phase 3 engineering courses of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
• In 2009 building work was due to commence on a new defence training academy with its heart at St Athan.
• The station officially opened as RAF St Athan on 1 September 1938 and the first unit to take up residence was No 4 School of Technical Training.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• During the 1960s, a driving school was established.
• The last aircraft to be serviced at St Athan, a Vickers VC10, departed the site on 23 February 2012.