Nonstop flight route between Wichita, Kansas, United States and Pell City, Alabama, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from IAB to PLR:
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- About this route
- IAB Airport Information
- PLR Airport Information
- Facts about IAB
- Facts about PLR
- Map of Nearest Airports to IAB
- List of Nearest Airports to IAB
- Map of Furthest Airports from IAB
- List of Furthest Airports from IAB
- Map of Nearest Airports to PLR
- List of Nearest Airports to PLR
- Map of Furthest Airports from PLR
- List of Furthest Airports from PLR
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield (IAB), Wichita, Kansas, United States and St. Clair County Airport (PLR), Pell City, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 679 miles (or 1,093 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 relatively short distance between McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield and St. Clair County Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | IAB / KIAB |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Wichita, Kansas, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°37'23"N by 97°16'1"W |
View all routes: | Routes from IAB |
More Information: | IAB Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | PLR / KPLR |
Airport Name: | St. Clair County Airport |
Location: | Pell City, Alabama, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°33'32"N by 86°14'57"W |
Area Served: | Pell City, Alabama |
Operator/Owner: | St. Clair County Airport Authority |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 485 feet (148 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from PLR |
More Information: | PLR Maps & Info |
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.
- 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.
- In spite of the difficulty of building an installation and initiating an entirely new program simultaneously, the base developed into a highly specialized training center.
- By 1952 the Air Force had decided to make a permanent base of the quondam municipal airport.
- The wing maintained proficiency in tactical fighter operations, and later also functioned as an F-105 replacement training unit and assisted Air National Guard units in their conversion to the F-105 when the Thunderchief left first-line service.
- On 15 November the field was officially transferred to the District Engineer, Seventh Service Command at Omaha, Nebraska who assumed jurisdiction over the field, pending disposition, while the 4156th AAF Base Unit was discontinued on the same day.
- Other facilities at the airport, however, were meager.
- In addition to being known as "McConnell Air Force Base Wichita Army Airfield", another name for IAB is "McConnell AFB".
- 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 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.
- McConnell's primary mission is to provide global reach by conducting air refueling and airlift where and when needed.
Facts about St. Clair County Airport (PLR):
- St. Clair County Airport (PLR) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from St. Clair County Airport (PLR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,212 miles (18,044 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to St. Clair County Airport (PLR) is Talladega Municipal Airport (ASN), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) E of PLR.
- Sammies Touch-n-Go restaurant is located on the North end of the airport.
- Because of St. Clair County Airport's relatively low elevation of 485 feet, planes can take off or land at St. Clair County 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.