Nonstop flight route between Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States and Valence, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States and Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF), Valence, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,664 miles (or 7,506 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 Sioux Falls Regional Airport and Valence - Chabeuil 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 Sioux Falls Regional Airport and Valence - Chabeuil 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 Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD):

• The closest airport to Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) is Madison Municipal Airport (XMD), which is located 35 miles (56 kilometers) NNW of FSD.
• Also located here is the Joe Foss Field Air National Guard Station, home to Headquarters, South Dakota Air National Guard and its 114th Fighter Wing, an Air Combat Command gained unit known as the "Fighting Lobos" and operating F-16C/D aircraft.
• The existing terminal building was built in 1970 and totals approximately 97,300 square feet.
• On December 20, 1983, Ozark Airlines Flight 650 struck a snow plow while landing, killing the driver.
• Beginning in the spring of 2009, the Sioux Falls Regional Airport embarked on a 3 phase multi-year, multi-million dollar renovation and expansion project, designed by Koch Hazard Architects, that included renovating and expanding the ticketing and check-in counter area, renovating the ground floor gift shop, updating and renovating the concourse, and updating and expanding the airport's parking operations.
• Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) has 3 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Sioux Falls Regional Airport", another name for FSD is "Joe Foss Field".
• The furthest airport from Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,610 miles (17,075 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF):

• In addition to being known as "Valence - Chabeuil Airport", other names for VAF include "Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) Y-23" and "Aéroport de Valence - Chabeuil".
• Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) has 3 runways.
• The Portez was a heavy twin-engined fighter.
• The furthest airport from Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (meaning Valence - Chabeuil Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,333 miles (19,848 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Valence - Chabeuil Airport's relatively low elevation of 525 feet, planes can take off or land at Valence - Chabeuil 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.
• In 1945 the Armée de l'Air returned to its airfield and it returned to its prewar status as an active air base.
• After the forceful occupation of Vichy France in November 1942 as a result of Case Anton Wehrmacht units moved into the Valence area and the airport came under the control of the Luftwaffe.
• The closest airport to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Grenoble–Isère Airport (GNB), which is located 36 miles (57 kilometers) NNE of VAF.