Nonstop flight route between El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina and Spangdahlem, Germany:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lago Argentino Airport (ING), El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina and Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM), Spangdahlem, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,342 miles (or 13,425 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 Lago Argentino Airport and Spangdahlem Air 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 Lago Argentino Airport and Spangdahlem Air 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 Lago Argentino Airport (ING):

• The closest airport to Lago Argentino Airport (ING) is Comandante Armando Tola International Airport (FTE), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) ENE of ING.
• Lago Argentino Airport (ING) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Lago Argentino Airport (ING) is Baikal International Airport (UUD), which is nearly antipodal to Lago Argentino Airport (meaning Lago Argentino Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Baikal International Airport), and is located 12,334 miles (19,850 kilometers) away in Ulan-Ude, Republic of Buryatia, Russia.
• Because of Lago Argentino Airport's relatively low elevation of 731 feet, planes can take off or land at Lago Argentino 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.

Facts about Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM):

• The wing supports the Supreme Allied Commander Europe with mission-ready personnel and systems providing expeditionary air power.
• In addition to being known as "Spangdahlem Air Base", another name for SPM is "Spangdahlem AB".
• On 10 May 1953 the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was reassigned to Spangdahlem AB from Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France.
• The 49th TFW flew F-100s until 1961 when it converted to the Republic F-105D/F Thunderchief, commonly known as the "Thud".
• The closest airport to Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM) is Bitburg Airport (BBJ), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) WSW of SPM.
• Upon its arrival at Spangdahlem AB, the 10 TRW operated Lockheed RF-80A Shooting Star for daylight aerial recon and the Douglas RB-26C Invader for night recon missions.
• The furthest airport from Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,986 miles (19,289 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• A complete reorganization of wing aircraft and aircrews occurred in November 1983, transforming the 52d TFW into the first and only all-defense suppression wing outside of the United States.
• On 25 August 1959, the 10th TRW ended its six-year stay at Spangdahlem and moved to RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom.
• The 49th received two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards for F-105 operations at Spangdahlem.
• Spangdahlem Air Base is a United States Air Force base located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate.