Nonstop flight route between Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and Istres, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE), Istres, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,335 miles (or 6,976 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 Piedmont Triad International Airport and Istres-Le Tubé Air Base, 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 Piedmont Triad International Airport and Istres-Le Tubé Air Base. 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 Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO):

• Piedmont Triad International Airport had its start in 1927 when the Tri-City Airport Commission selected 112 acres near the community of Friendship for an airport, and petitioned to become a stop along the congressionally authorized airmail route from New York to New Orleans.
• In the mid-1990s Continental Airlines developed a hub at the airport, largely to support its new Continental Lite low-fare product.
• The closest airport to Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) is Smith Reynolds Airport (INT), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) W of GSO.
• The airport was renamed Greensboro-High Point Airport and later Greensboro – High Point – Winston-Salem Regional Airport.
• An antecedent of PTI Airport, one of the first commercial airports in the South, Maynard Field was dedicated on December 6, 1919, just west of Greensboro near Oak Ridge.
• The airport has plans to build a viewing area so the public can watch planes take off and land.
• The furthest airport from Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,574 miles (18,626 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) has 3 runways.
• Because of Piedmont Triad International Airport's relatively low elevation of 926 feet, planes can take off or land at Piedmont Triad International 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.
• US Airways operates a US Airways Club across from Gate 45.

Facts about Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE):

• Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Istres-Le Tubé Air Base's relatively low elevation of 162 feet, planes can take off or land at Istres-Le Tubé Air Base 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 "Istres-Le Tubé Air Base", another name for QIE is "Base aérienne 125 Istres (BA 125)Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) Y-17".
• Built prior to World War II, Istres Air Base was first used by the Armée de l'air during the early part of the war, and after the 1940 Battle of France and the June Armistice with Nazi Germany, became part of the limited air force of the Vichy Government.
• The furthest airport from Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (meaning Istres-Le Tubé Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,364 miles (19,898 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Secondary users occasionally include the United States Air Force, during Allied operations engaging United States and France.
• The closest airport to Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) is Marseille Provence Airport (MRS), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) ESE of QIE.