Nonstop flight route between Koyukuk, Alaska, United States and Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Koyukuk Airport (KYU), Koyukuk, Alaska, United States and RAF Lakenheath (LKZ), Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,251 miles (or 6,841 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 Koyukuk Airport and RAF Lakenheath, 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 Koyukuk Airport and RAF Lakenheath. 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 Koyukuk Airport (KYU):

• The closest airport to Koyukuk Airport (KYU) is Nulato Airport (NUL), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) SW of KYU.
• The furthest airport from Koyukuk Airport (KYU) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,304 miles (16,583 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
• Koyukuk Airport (KYU) currently has only 1 runway.
• Koyukuk Airport covers an area of 287 acres at an elevation of 149 feet above mean sea level.
• Because of Koyukuk Airport's relatively low elevation of 149 feet, planes can take off or land at Koyukuk 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 RAF Lakenheath (LKZ):

• Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union in Europe began as early as 1946.
• The furthest airport from RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,827 miles (19,034 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In addition to supporting three combat-ready squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft, the Liberty Wing houses the 56th Rescue Squadron's HH-60G Combat Search and Rescue helicopters.
• RAF Lakenheath, and nearby, RAF Mildenhall, are the two main U.S.
• The increasing tension of the Cold War lead to a re-evaluation of these deployments, and by 1953 SAC bombers began to move its heavy bomb groups further west, behind RAF fighter forces, to RAF Brize Norton, RAF Greenham Common, RAF Upper Heyford and RAF Fairford, while its shorter-range B-47 were sent to East Anglia.
• The 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath is the Statue of Liberty Wing, the only USAF wing with both a number and a name.
• The closest airport to RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is RAF Mildenhall (MHZ), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) SW of LKZ.
• In 1941, hard runways were put down with the main runway, 04/22, being 2,000 yards, and the subsidiaries, 12/30 at 1,300 yards and 16/34 at 1,400 yards.
• By the time construction ended the war with Germany was over and RAF Lakenheath was put on a care and maintenance status.
• Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel.