Nonstop flight route between Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia, United States and Wake Island, United States Minor Outlying Islands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF), Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia, United States and Wake Island Airfield (AWK), Wake Island, United States Minor Outlying Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,514 miles (or 10,484 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 Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) and Wake Island Airfield, 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 Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) and Wake Island Airfield. 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 Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF):

• The closest airport to Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF) is Columbus Metropolitan Airport (CSG), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) NNE of LSF.
• In 1922, the Army made the facility a permanent Army post renaming the camp Fort Benning.
• For all of the war, a Troop Carrier Group was always present at Lawson conducting training and providing aircraft for the Parachute School.
• Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1967, Lawson Army Airfield was used for filming as part of the production of The Green Berets.
• The furthest airport from Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,271 miles (18,139 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In 1954, the Air Force turned Lawson over to the Army, and it has operated continually since that time as Lawson Army Airfield.
• Because of Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning)'s relatively low elevation of 232 feet, planes can take off or land at Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) 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 Wake Island Airfield (AWK):

• Between 5 and 29 May 1935, Pan American's air base construction vessel, North Haven, landed supplies and equipment on Wilkes Island for eventual rehandling to Peale Island which, because of its more suitable soil and geology, had been selected as site for the PAA seaplane base.
• Wake Island Airfield (AWK) currently has only 1 runway.
• From 1935 until 1940, when two typhoons swept Wake with resultant extensive damage to the now elaborately developed Pan American facilities, development and use of the base were steady but uneventful.
• The closest airport to Wake Island Airfield (AWK) is Quoin Hill Airfield (UIQ), which is located 169 miles (272 kilometers) SE of AWK.
• British Overseas Airways Corporation also used Wake Island as a refueling stop.
• The furthest airport from Wake Island Airfield (AWK) is RAF Ascension (ASI), which is located 11,652 miles (18,752 kilometers) away in Georgetown, Ascension Island, Saint Helena.
• Because of Wake Island Airfield's relatively low elevation of 23 feet, planes can take off or land at Wake Island Airfield 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.