Nonstop flight route between Houston, Texas, United States and Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from IWS to NQX:
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- About this route
- IWS Airport Information
- NQX Airport Information
- Facts about IWS
- Facts about NQX
- Map of Nearest Airports to IWS
- List of Nearest Airports to IWS
- Map of Furthest Airports from IWS
- List of Furthest Airports from IWS
- Map of Nearest Airports to NQX
- List of Nearest Airports to NQX
- Map of Furthest Airports from NQX
- List of Furthest Airports from NQX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas, United States and NAS Key West (NQX), Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 932 miles (or 1,499 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 West Houston Airport and NAS Key West, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | IWS / KIWS |
| Airport Name: | West Houston Airport |
| Location: | Houston, Texas, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 29°49'5"N by 95°40'20"W |
| Area Served: | Houston, Texas |
| Operator/Owner: | West Houston Airport Corp. |
| Airport Type: | Public use |
| Elevation: | 111 feet (34 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from IWS |
| More Information: | IWS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | NQX / KNQX |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 24°34'32"N by 81°41'20"W |
| Operator/Owner: | United States Navy |
| Airport Type: | Military: Naval Air Station |
| Elevation: | 6 feet (2 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from NQX |
| More Information: | NQX Maps & Info |
Facts about West Houston Airport (IWS):
- The closest airport to West Houston Airport (IWS) is Andrau Airpark (AAP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) SE of IWS.
- The furthest airport from West Houston Airport (IWS) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,979 miles (17,668 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- West Houston Airport is a privately owned, public use use airport in Harris County, Texas, United States.
- On January 3, 2012, a pilot flying a 1985 Cessna 172P with a 180 HP engine from West Houston Airport to Lone Star Executive Airport reported losing power to her aircraft.
- West Houston Airport (IWS) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of West Houston Airport's relatively low elevation of 111 feet, planes can take off or land at West Houston 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 NAS Key West (NQX):
- The closest airport to NAS Key West (NQX) is Key West International Airport (EYW), which is located only 5 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of NQX.
- By 1943, German submarines were operating so near Key West that they were sinking allied ships within sight of land.
- In the late summer of 1994, NAS Key West also served as a primary staging base for Operations SUPPORT DEMOCRACY and UPHOLD DEMOCRACY in Haiti.
- Because of NAS Key West's relatively low elevation of 6 feet, planes can take off or land at NAS Key West 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 NAS Key West (NQX) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,575 miles (18,629 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- NAS Key West (NQX) has 3 runways.
- In 1946, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 was established at NAS Key West and for the next three decades conducted airborne antisubmarine warfare systems evaluation out of Boca Chica, while Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 1 conducted Atlantic Fleet helicopter fleet replacement training in the SH-3 Sea King out of the former seaplane base at Trumbo Point.
- On January 18, 1918, the first class of student aviators arrived for seaplane training, which launched the station's reputation as a premier training site for Naval Aviators, a reputation which continues today.
- On a broader scale, NAS Key West's national security mission supports operational and readiness requirements for the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Air National Guard and Army National Guard units, other federal agencies, and allied military forces.
- In addition to being known as "NAS Key West", other names for NQX include "Naval Air Station Key West" and "NQX[1]".
- The air station is also host to several tenant commands, including Fighter Squadron Composite 111, Strike Fighter Squadron 106 Detachment Key West, the U.S.
