Nonstop flight route between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States and Lille, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR), Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States and Lille Airport (LIL), Lille, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,785 miles (or 6,092 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 Kincheloe Air Force Base and Lille 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 Kincheloe Air Force Base and Lille 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 Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR):

• The 438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was upgraded again to the F-106 Delta Dart interceptor in June 1960, one of the first ADC squadrons to receive the new interceptor.
• Kinross was considered a vital Air Defense Command base, an alert-status military base equipped with interceptors ready 24/7 to respond to unknown aircraft picked up by Ground Control Radar stations in the Great Lakes region.
• The importance of Kincheloe AFB to ADC was evident in 1960 with some major changes.
• During World War II, the Soo Locks were considered vital to the war efforts.
• The closest airport to Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR) is Chippewa County International Airport (CIU), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) N of INR.
• In November, 1961, following two years of construction, the 4239th Strategic Wing of the Strategic Air Command arrived with B-52 bombers.
• In October, 1952, the 4685th Air Base Squadron was assigned to the reactivated Kinross AFB.
• In December 1965, the Department of Defense announced a decision to close Kincheloe AFB by October 1971.
• On 16 February 1953, the first operational ADC unit, the 534th Air Defense Group was activated at Kinross AFB.
• As a result of the phase down, ADC moved the 438th Fighter Interceptor Squadron to Griffiss AFB, New York.
• The mission of Kinross AAF was to serve as a refueling stop for aircraft headed for Alaska as well as to defend the locks of Sault Ste.
• The furthest airport from Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,103 miles (17,869 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about Lille Airport (LIL):

• Because of Lille Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Lille 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.
• Lille Airport (LIL) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Lille Airport", other names for LIL include "Aéroport de Lille" and "(Advanced Landing Ground B-51)".
• The closest airport to Lille Airport (LIL) is Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport (KJK), which is located only 18 miles (29 kilometers) NNE of LIL.
• The furthest airport from Lille Airport (LIL) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,970 miles (19,263 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.