Nonstop flight route between Mackay, Queensland, Australia and Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mackay Airport (MKY), Mackay, Queensland, Australia and Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF), Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,042 miles (or 14,552 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 Mackay Airport and Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning), 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 Mackay Airport and Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning). 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 Mackay Airport (MKY):

• Mackay Airport (MKY) has 2 runways.
• Mackay Airport handled 1,049,172 passengers last year.
• In 1938, the airport held an airshow featuring ten aircraft, which attracted over 8,000 spectators.
• Because of Mackay Airport's relatively low elevation of 19 feet, planes can take off or land at Mackay 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.
• The furthest airport from Mackay Airport (MKY) is Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO), which is located 11,973 miles (19,269 kilometers) away in Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde.
• The closest airport to Mackay Airport (MKY) is Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI), which is located 58 miles (94 kilometers) NNW of MKY.
• In 1941, the Commonwealth Government took control of the airport from the Mackay City Council, and built a new passenger terminal in 1953.
• Despite the collapse of airlines Ansett Australia and Flight West Airlines in 2001, Mackay Airport has experienced considerable growth in recent years, due to the use of the airport by Virgin Australia and the expansion of QantasLink services, and handles over 620,000 passengers through the terminal per annum but that has slowed and the airport is up for sale.

Facts about Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF):

• 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 1967, Lawson Army Airfield was used for filming as part of the production of The Green Berets.
• In 1933, the Army spent $855,060 upgrading Lawson's facilities.
• 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.
• 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.
• The continued growth of parachute training at Lawson led the Army to turn the field over to the I Troop Carrier Command on 26 August 1942.
• 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.