Nonstop flight route between Merville / Calonne, France and Springfield/Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Merville - Calonne Airport (HZB), Merville / Calonne, France and Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF), Springfield/Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,472 miles (or 5,588 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 Merville - Calonne Airport and Westover Air Reserve 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 Merville - Calonne Airport and Westover Air Reserve 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 Merville - Calonne Airport (HZB):

• Because of Merville - Calonne Airport's relatively low elevation of 61 feet, planes can take off or land at Merville - Calonne 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.
• Merville - Calonne Airport (HZB) has 2 runways.
• The airfield is controlled and has an Automatic Terminal Information Service.
• In addition to being known as "Merville - Calonne Airport", other names for HZB include "Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) B-53" and "Aéroport de Merville - Calonne".
• The closest airport to Merville - Calonne Airport (HZB) is Lille Airport (LIL), which is located only 20 miles (32 kilometers) E of HZB.
• Airfield has numerous wartime relics, including many bunkers.
• The furthest airport from Merville - Calonne Airport (HZB) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,965 miles (19,255 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.

Facts about Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF):

• Westover took part in the Korean War transporting freight and passengers to the forces in Japan and South Korea, and casualties were brought to the Westover Air Force Base Hospital from 1950 to 1954.
• Westover Field was designed to be nearly self-sufficient, with not only hangars, but barracks, warehouses, hospitals, dental clinics, dining halls, and maintenance shops were needed.
• Westover Field was placed under the jurisdiction of the Northeast Air District, later First Air Force, with the 25th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron the main Base Operating Unit.
• Since the Constructing Quartermaster had already planned the base, the first permanent masonry buildings were constructed east of the airfield to those designs, which were intended to be lasting and attractive.
• In addition to being known as "Westover Air Reserve Base", another name for CEF is "Westover ARB".
• The closest airport to Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF) is Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF), which is located only 10 miles (15 kilometers) WSW of CEF.
• Numerous Airborne Engineer Aviation battalions were activated and trained at Westover, to include the 871st, 872d, 873d, 877th, 878th, 879th, 880th, and 881st.
• The furthest airport from Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,731 miles (18,880 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.