Nonstop flight route between Hayward, California, United States and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hayward Executive Airport (HWD), Hayward, California, United States and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,257 miles (or 8,460 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 Hayward Executive 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 Hayward Executive 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 Hayward Executive Airport (HWD):

• Hayward Executive Airport is a city owned public airport two miles west of downtown Hayward, in Alameda County, California.
• The North American P-51D Mustang and later the P-51H were flown from 1948 until October 31, 1954.
• The 61st Fighter Wing was re-designated as the 144th Fighter Bomber Wing on November 1, 1950.
• In addition to being known as "Hayward Executive Airport", another name for HWD is "(former Hayward Army Airfield)".
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• Because of Hayward Executive Airport's relatively low elevation of 52 feet, planes can take off or land at Hayward Executive 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.
• On May 1, 1980 the remaining California Air National Guard units at Hayward were reassigned to Naval Air Station Moffett Field near San Jose.
• The furthest airport from Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,354 miles (18,273 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The closest airport to Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) is Oakland International Airport (OAK), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) NW of HWD.
• Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) has 2 runways.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• The last aircraft to be serviced at St Athan, a Vickers VC10, departed the site on 23 February 2012.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• RAF St Athan was also home for the Royal Air Force Administrative Apprentice Training School.
• The MOD later decided that DARA's 'Fast Jets' and 'Engines' businesses would close by April 2007, although the 'Large Aircraft' business would continue and, on 14 April 2005, the Project Red Dragon super-hangar opened and DARA moved its VC10 operations from its existing 'Twin Peaks' hangar into the new facility.
• 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.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• 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.