Nonstop flight route between Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom and Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
(52°24'29"N by 0°33'24"E)
Arrival Airport:
(28°34'47"S by 29°45'11"E)
Distance from LKZ to LAY:
5,867.29 miles (9,442.46 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- LKZ Airport Information
- LAY Airport Information
- Facts about LKZ
- Facts about LAY
- Map of Nearest Airports to LKZ
- List of Nearest Airports to LKZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from LKZ
- List of Furthest Airports from LKZ
- Map of Nearest Airports to LAY
- List of Nearest Airports to LAY
- Map of Furthest Airports from LAY
- List of Furthest Airports from LAY
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Lakenheath (LKZ), Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom and Ladysmith Airport (LAY), Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,867 miles (or 9,442 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 RAF Lakenheath and Ladysmith 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 RAF Lakenheath and Ladysmith Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | LKZ / EGUL |
| Airport Name: | RAF Lakenheath |
| Location: | Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 52°24'29"N by 0°33'24"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from LKZ |
| More Information: | LKZ Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | LAY / FALY |
| Airport Name: | Ladysmith Airport |
| Location: | Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 28°34'47"S by 29°45'11"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Municipal |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 3548 feet (1,081 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from LAY |
| More Information: | LAY Maps & Info |
Facts about RAF Lakenheath (LKZ):
- The closest airport to RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is RAF Mildenhall (MHZ), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) SW of LKZ.
- In 1940, the Air Ministry selected Lakenheath as an alternative for RAF Mildenhall and used it as a decoy airfield.
- In April 1947, RAF Bomber Command returned to Lakenheath and had the runways repaired, resurfaced, and readied for operations by May 1948.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Ladysmith Airport (LAY):
- The furthest airport from Ladysmith Airport (LAY) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,789 miles (18,972 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
- Ladysmith Airport (LAY) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Ladysmith Airport (LAY) is Mokhotlong Airport (MKH), which is located 64 miles (102 kilometers) SW of LAY.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 4.38 miles (7.05 km) SW | RAF Mildenhall (MHZ) | Mildenhall, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom |     |
| 2 | 10.20 miles (16.41 km) ESE | RAF Honington USAAF Station 375 (BEQ) | Bury St. Edmunds, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 16.58 miles (26.69 km) N | RAF Marham (KNF) | Marham, Norfolk, East Anglia, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 21.39 miles (34.42 km) SW | Cambridge International Airport (CBG) | Cambridge, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 28.36 miles (45.63 km) SW | Duxford Aerodrome (QFO) | Duxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 30.09 miles (48.43 km) S | MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) | Braintree, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 33.02 miles (53.13 km) W | RAF AlconburyUSAAF Station 102 (AYH) | Alconbury, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 35.67 miles (57.41 km) ENE | Norwich International Airport (NWI) | Norwich, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 37.55 miles (60.42 km) SE | Ipswich Airport (IPW) | Ipswich, England | |
| 10 | 38.65 miles (62.19 km) SSW | London Stansted Airport (STN) | Essex (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 40.39 miles (65.01 km) ENE | Coltishall (IATA off-point) (CLF) | Coltishall, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 53.83 miles (86.63 km) SW | London Luton Airport (LTN) | Luton (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 55.37 miles (89.11 km) WNW | RAF Cottesmore (OKH) | Oakham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 56.09 miles (90.27 km) SW | Hatfield Aerodrome (HTF) | Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 56.14 miles (90.35 km) NNW | RAF Coningsby (QCY) | Coningsby, England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,827.09 miles (19,033.81 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,790.32 miles (18,974.63 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,766.44 miles (18,936.20 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,763.52 miles (18,931.50 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,749.39 miles (18,908.77 km) ESE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,732.88 miles (18,882.19 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,726.83 miles (18,872.46 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,724.93 miles (18,869.40 km) SE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,718.31 miles (18,858.75 km) SE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,697.18 miles (18,824.74 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,696.39 miles (18,823.46 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,679.36 miles (18,796.06 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,675.07 miles (18,789.16 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,671.69 miles (18,783.72 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,651.69 miles (18,751.53 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 63.59 miles (102.34 km) SW | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |
| 2 | 83.35 miles (134.14 km) SSE | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 3 | 104.79 miles (168.64 km) W | Leribe Airport (LRB) | Leribe, Lesotho | |
| 4 | 108.73 miles (174.98 km) SE | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 5 | 112.17 miles (180.53 km) SW | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 6 | 117.02 miles (188.33 km) SW | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 7 | 134.11 miles (215.83 km) SW | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 8 | 142.22 miles (228.88 km) E | Richards Bay Airport (RCB) | Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 9 | 146.27 miles (235.40 km) WSW | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 158.42 miles (254.95 km) ENE | Hluhluwe Airport (HLW) | Hluhluwe, South Africa | |
| 11 | 161.42 miles (259.78 km) SSE | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 12 | 165.67 miles (266.61 km) NNW | Heidelberg Airport (HDB) | Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | |
| 13 | 170.72 miles (274.75 km) NE | Matsapha Airport (MTS) | Manzini, Swaziland | |
| 14 | 173.30 miles (278.90 km) WSW | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 189.05 miles (304.24 km) NNW | Rand Airport (QRA) | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,788.69 miles (18,972.01 km) NE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,779.63 miles (18,957.44 km) NE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,776.10 miles (18,951.74 km) NE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,774.16 miles (18,948.63 km) NE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,768.02 miles (18,938.75 km) NE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,762.72 miles (18,930.22 km) NNE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,754.11 miles (18,916.36 km) NNE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,753.63 miles (18,915.58 km) NE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,753.04 miles (18,914.64 km) NNE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,745.58 miles (18,902.64 km) NE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,743.32 miles (18,898.99 km) NE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,742.27 miles (18,897.31 km) NE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,742.27 miles (18,897.31 km) NE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,741.74 miles (18,896.45 km) NNE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,735.27 miles (18,886.04 km) NE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |