Nonstop flight route between Île d'Yeu, France and Fairbanks, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY), Île d'Yeu, France and Eielson Air Force Base (EIL), Fairbanks, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,509 miles (or 7,256 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 Île d'Yeu Aerodrome and Eielson Air Force 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 Île d'Yeu Aerodrome and Eielson Air Force 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 Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY):

• In addition to being known as "Île d'Yeu Aerodrome", another name for IDY is "Aérodrome d'Ile d'Yeu - Grand Phare".
• Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY) is Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE), which is located 48 miles (77 kilometers) NE of IDY.
• The furthest airport from Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (IDY) is Christchurch International Airport (CHC), which is nearly antipodal to Île d'Yeu Aerodrome (meaning Île d'Yeu Aerodrome is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christchurch International Airport), and is located 12,104 miles (19,479 kilometers) away in Christchurch, New Zealand.
• Because of Île d'Yeu Aerodrome's relatively low elevation of 79 feet, planes can take off or land at Île d'Yeu Aerodrome 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.

Facts about Eielson Air Force Base (EIL):

• Eielson AFB was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field.
• In July 1960, the Strategic Air Command stationed the 4157th Combat Support Group at Eielson.
• The closest airport to Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Ladd Army Airfield (FBK), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) NW of EIL.
• Taken off deployment status in 2007 as a result of BRAC 2005, today the primary mission of the base is to support Red Flag-Alaska, a series of Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercises for U.S.
• The furthest airport from Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,295 miles (16,568 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Headquarters USAF General Order 2, dated 13 January 1948, redesignated Mile 26 as Eielson AFB.
• The base reopened in September 1946, once again as a satellite of Ladd Field.
• On 1 December 1947 Strategic Air Command B-29 Superfortress bombers arrived at 26-Mile Airfield with the deployment of the 97th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, from Smoky Hill AFB, Kansas.
• In addition to being known as "Eielson Air Force Base", another name for EIL is "Eielson AFB".