Nonstop flight route between Fort Knox, Kentucky, United States and Santa Maria, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from FTK to SMX:
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- About this route
- FTK Airport Information
- SMX Airport Information
- Facts about FTK
- Facts about SMX
- Map of Nearest Airports to FTK
- List of Nearest Airports to FTK
- Map of Furthest Airports from FTK
- List of Furthest Airports from FTK
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMX
- List of Nearest Airports to SMX
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMX
- List of Furthest Airports from SMX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Godman Army Airfield (FTK), Fort Knox, Kentucky, United States and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,918 miles (or 3,087 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 relatively short distance between Godman Army Airfield and Santa Maria Public Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | FTK / KFTK |
| Airport Name: | Godman Army Airfield |
| Location: | Fort Knox, Kentucky, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°54'24"N by 85°58'19"W |
| Operator/Owner: | United States Army |
| Airport Type: | Military |
| Elevation: | 756 feet (230 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 4 |
| View all routes: | Routes from FTK |
| More Information: | FTK Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMX / KSMX |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Santa Maria, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°53'56"N by 120°27'26"W |
| Area Served: | Santa Maria, California |
| Operator/Owner: | Santa Maria Public Airport District |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 261 feet (80 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SMX |
| More Information: | SMX Maps & Info |
Facts about Godman Army Airfield (FTK):
- The Thomas Mantell incident began at 1:20pm on 7 January 1948, when the control tower operators at Godman Army Airfield, Kentucky sighted an unidentified airborne object in the sky close to the base.
- Because of Godman Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 756 feet, planes can take off or land at Godman 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.
- The closest airport to Godman Army Airfield (FTK) is Addington Field (EKX), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) S of FTK.
- In 1944, the mission changed to replacement training, and the 477th Bombardment Group became the B-25 Replacement Training unit.
- Godman Army Airfield was established about October 1918 for the 29th Aero Squadron for World War I at then Camp Knox United States Army Air Corps.
- Godman Army Airfield (FTK) has 4 runways.
- The furthest airport from Godman Army Airfield (FTK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,229 miles (18,071 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- After the 1953 armistice in Korea, Godman was phased down and the 4430th Air Base Wing became the host organization at the base.
Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):
- The closest airport to Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) SSW of SMX.
- Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
- Allegiant Air has expanded flights between Las Vegas and Santa Maria with four nonstops per week each way.
- Because of Santa Maria Public Airport's relatively low elevation of 261 feet, planes can take off or land at Santa Maria Public 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.
- At one point during the early 1980's Swift Aire Lines, which was based at the nearby San Luis Obispo Airport, was the only airline flying nonstop between Santa Maria and Los Angeles, primarily with Fokker F27 Friendship turboprops which the carrier had purchased new from the manufacturer.
- In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
- The furthest airport from Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,466 miles (18,453 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
- Santa Maria Public Airport is three miles south of Santa Maria, in northern Santa Barbara County, California.
