Nonstop flight route between Gweru, Zimbabwe and Stockton, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE), Gweru, Zimbabwe and Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK), Stockton, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,285 miles (or 16,552 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 Gweru-Thornhill Air Base and Stockton Metropolitan 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 Gweru-Thornhill Air Base and Stockton Metropolitan 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 Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE):

• Because of Gweru-Thornhill Air Base's high elevation of 4,680 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at GWE. Combined with a high temperature, this could make GWE a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The closest airport to Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) is Masvingo Airport (MVZ), which is located 78 miles (125 kilometers) ESE of GWE.
• Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is nearly antipodal to Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (meaning Gweru-Thornhill Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Hilo International Airport), and is located 12,117 miles (19,500 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.

Facts about Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK):

• Local officials filed an appeal and Congressman Richard Pombo also persuaded officials to approve a facility.
• Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) has 2 runways.
• This facility is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.
• The closest airport to Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) is Modesto City-County Airport (MOD), which is located 24 miles (39 kilometers) SE of SCK.
• United Airlines used Boeing 727-200s and 737-200s, PSA used 727s, 737s, Douglas DC-9-30s and BAe 146-200s, Hughes Airwest had Douglas DC-9s, USAir had BAe 146-200s, and Continental Airlines and Frontier used 737s.
• In addition to being known as "Stockton Metropolitan Airport", other names for SCK include "(former Stockton Army Airfield)" and "(former Sharpe Army Depot)".
• In May 1944 all of the facility was consolidated into the 3033rd Army Air Forces Base Unit.
• On July 11, 1964, Stockton Municipal Airport was officially renamed the Stockton Metropolitan Airport, reflecting its changing role as a civil airport.
• In October 1946 Stockton AAF was declared surplus.
• In the early 1970s the need for soldiers garrisoning Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex also decreased as military positions were converted to Civil Service positions.
• The furthest airport from Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,311 miles (18,203 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Because of Stockton Metropolitan Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at Stockton Metropolitan 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.