Nonstop flight route between Manado, Indonesia and Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) (MDC), Manado, Indonesia and Biggs Army Airfield (BIF), Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,367 miles (or 13,466 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 Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) and Biggs Army 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 Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) and Biggs Army 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 Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) (MDC):

• Because of Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA)'s relatively low elevation of 266 feet, planes can take off or land at Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) 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.
• Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) (MDC) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA)", another name for MDC is "Bandar Udara Internasional Sam Ratulangi".
• The furthest airport from Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) (MDC) is Santarém–Maestro Wilson Fonseca Airport (STM), which is nearly antipodal to Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) (meaning Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Santarém–Maestro Wilson Fonseca Airport), and is located 12,373 miles (19,913 kilometers) away in Santarém, Pará, Brazil.
• The closest airport to Sam Ratulangi International Airport (SRA) (MDC) is Naha Airport (NAH), which is located 153 miles (247 kilometers) NNE of MDC.
• A minor upgrade had been done prior to the World Ocean Conference and Coral Triangle Initiative Summit on May 2009.
• The passenger terminal is equipped with a bank, automated teller machines, restaurants, cafeterias, bars, a VIP Lounge, duty-free shopping, newsagent/tobacconist, gift shops, travel agents, car rental, taxi service/rank, First Aid service, a baby/parent room, 8,074 m2 of parking space, an escalator, and an elevator for the disabled.

Facts about Biggs Army Airfield (BIF):

• The closest airport to Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) is El Paso International Airport (ELP), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) S of BIF.
• Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) currently has only 1 runway.
• Prior to the takeover of Biggs by SAC in October 1948, it had previously moved the B-29 Superfortress-equipped 97th Bombardment Group to the base in May.
• The furthest airport from Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,387 miles (18,325 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Beginning in 1959, the B-36s were sent to Davis-Monthan AFB for reclamation as B-52B Stratofortresses began to arrive, being transferred from the 99th Bombardment Wing at Westover AFB, Massachusetts which was receiving new B-52Ds.
• A period of organization and continued construction followed, with II Bomber Command taking over training.
• In addition to being known as "Biggs Army Airfield", another name for BIF is "Biggs Air Force BaseBiggs Field".
• On 27 September 1947, Biggs Army Airfield became Biggs Air Force Base with the establishment of the United States Air Force, replacing the Army Air Forces.
• In 1920 Camp Owen Bierne opened on the site of the current airbase as a base for airship operations but the units were soon disbanded.
• The 97th experienced two mission changes in 1955.