Nonstop flight route between Wichita, Kansas, United States and Dirranbandi, Queensland, Australia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield (IAB), Wichita, Kansas, United States and Dirranbandi Airport (DRN), Dirranbandi, Queensland, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,671 miles (or 13,955 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 McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield and Dirranbandi 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 McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield and Dirranbandi 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 McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield (IAB):

• Air Materiel Command's mission at the airport was to accept, service and coordinate the transfer of newly produced Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers to other installations.
• By the summer of 1950, Boeing was ready to turn out the first production models of the B-47, and the United States Air Force sought to make Wichita Airport a permanent military installation.
• In October 1962, the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing was reactivated at McConnell with four fighter squadrons.
• McConnell's primary mission is to provide global reach by conducting air refueling and airlift where and when needed.
• In addition to being known as "McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield", another name for IAB is "McConnell AFB".
• By 1952 the Air Force had decided to make a permanent base of the quondam municipal airport.
• The closest airport to McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield (IAB) is Cessna Aircraft Field (CEA), which is located only 2 miles (3 kilometers) NNE of IAB.
• However, the name was changed to McConnell Air Force Base after less than a year in honor of Wichita brothers Fred and Thomas McConnell, both Air Force pilots and World War II veterans.
• The Air Force was not the sole occupant during this period.
• In August 1941, the Kansas National Guard 127th Observation Squadron was activated as the first military unit assigned to the Wichita airport.
• The furthest airport from McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield (IAB) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,740 miles (17,285 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Dirranbandi Airport (DRN):

• The closest airport to Dirranbandi Airport (DRN) is Lightning Ridge Airport (LHG), which is located 61 miles (99 kilometers) SSW of DRN.
• Dirranbandi Airport (DRN) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Dirranbandi Airport's relatively low elevation of 567 feet, planes can take off or land at Dirranbandi 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.
• The furthest airport from Dirranbandi Airport (DRN) is Santa Maria Airport (SMA), which is located 11,742 miles (18,897 kilometers) away in Santa Maria, Portugal.