Nonstop flight route between Fiti‘uta, American Samoa, United States and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fitiuta Airport (FTI), Fiti‘uta, American Samoa, United States and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,752 miles (or 15,694 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 Fitiuta 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 Fitiuta 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 Fitiuta Airport (FTI):

• Because of Fitiuta Airport's relatively low elevation of 110 feet, planes can take off or land at Fitiuta 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 addition to being known as "Fitiuta Airport", another name for FTI is "FAQ".
• The furthest airport from Fitiuta Airport (FTI) is Zinder Airport (ZND), which is nearly antipodal to Fitiuta Airport (meaning Fitiuta Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Zinder Airport), and is located 12,326 miles (19,836 kilometers) away in Zinder, Niger.
• The closest airport to Fitiuta Airport (FTI) is Tau Airport (TAV), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) W of FTI.
• Fitiuta Airport has one paved runway designated 12/30 which measures 3,200 x 75 ft.
• Fitiuta Airport (FTI) currently has only 1 runway.
• Inter Island Airways is the only air carrier operating flights to Fitiuta Airport from Pago Pago International Airport.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• 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.
• On 26 August 1993 an ATC civilian instructor was seriously injured and the RAF Volunteer Reserve pilot, Group Captain Roger Sweatman, was killed when their Chipmunk trainer, on an air experience flight, crashed after encountering difficulties during a simulated emergency low-height manoeuvre on take-off.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 2009 building work was due to commence on a new defence training academy with its heart at St Athan.
• During the 1960s, a driving school was established.
• After the war, airmen of the Airframe and Engine trades continued to train at St Athan, but in 1955 this training dispersed to RAF Kirkham and RAF Weeton.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• During the war a dummy airfield was built using wood and cardboard a few miles west of the original airfield and successful efforts were made to hide the proper field.
• In March 2004, however, DARA announced the loss of 550 jobs at St Athan as part of streamlining to make DARA more efficient and better able to compete with the private sector for lucrative aircraft repair contracts, but also because they lost out to a direct RAF bid for a contract to upgrade the air force's fleet of ageing Harrier jump jet aircraft.
• 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.