Nonstop flight route between Manta, Manabí, Ecuador and Bury St. Edmunds, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC), Manta, Manabí, Ecuador and RAF Honington USAAF Station 375 (BEQ), Bury St. Edmunds, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,910 miles (or 9,512 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 Eloy Alfaro International Airport and RAF Honington USAAF Station 375, 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 Eloy Alfaro International Airport and RAF Honington USAAF Station 375. 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 Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC):

• Until July 2009 a portion of the airport was used by the Air Forces Southern Air Force component of the United States Southern Command for operations against illegal cocaine trafficking in northwestern South America.
• The closest airport to Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) is Reales Tamarindos Airport (PVO), which is located only 16 miles (25 kilometers) ESE of MEC.
• The furthest airport from Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) is Aek Godang Airport (AEG), which is nearly antipodal to Eloy Alfaro International Airport (meaning Eloy Alfaro International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aek Godang Airport), and is located 12,405 miles (19,963 kilometers) away in Padang Sidempuan, Indonesia.
• Since prior to his election, President Rafael Correa has stated that he would not renew the agreement that allowed the United States access to the base when it expires in November 2009, and commented that "We can negotiate with the U.S.
• Because of Eloy Alfaro International Airport's relatively low elevation of 48 feet, planes can take off or land at Eloy Alfaro International 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.
• Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about RAF Honington USAAF Station 375 (BEQ):

• Then, in May of that year, a Wellington returning from a night trip attempted to land at Honington with its wheels retracted.
• Besides the air depot, Honington also housed an operational fighter unit when the 364th Fighter Group took up residence at Honington in February 1944, arriving from Santa Maria AAF, California.
• The closest airport to RAF Honington USAAF Station 375 (BEQ) is RAF Lakenheath (LKZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) WNW of BEQ.
• The furthest airport from RAF Honington USAAF Station 375 (BEQ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,834 miles (19,044 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• IX Squadron reformed at RAF Honington in August 1982, becoming the world's first Panavia Tornado GR1 squadron.
• IX Squadron flew the first RAF bombing raid of the Second World War on 4 September 1939 flying a mission against the Kriegsmarine in the Baltic resulting in the loss of two Wellingtons.
• Although the last mission by the 364th took place on 25 April 1945, the group did not depart until November, returning to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, for inactivation.
• Honington was assigned USAAF designation Station 375.