Nonstop flight route between Moline, Illinois, United States and Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Quad City International Airport (MLI), Moline, Illinois, United States and RAF Lakenheath (LKZ), Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,072 miles (or 6,553 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 Quad City International Airport and RAF Lakenheath, 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 Quad City International Airport and RAF Lakenheath. 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 Quad City International Airport (MLI):

• The airport boasts the regional headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration, whose offices are located on the second floor of the passenger terminal.
• Quad City is the third-busiest commercial airport in Illinois – Chicago's O'Hare and Midway International Airports lead the state.
• The furthest airport from Quad City International Airport (MLI) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,950 miles (17,623 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Quad City International Airport (MLI) is Davenport Municipal Airport (DVN), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNW of MLI.
• The airfield at the Quad City International Airport can accommodate any type of aircraft in virtually any type of weather conditions with the long runways, ILS, and high-intensity lighting.
• Franing Field, the site of the present Quad City International Airport, was picked as an ideal flying field, with 120 acres of level, grassy land free of obstacles.
• The terminal features the full-service Air Host Restaurant.
• Quad City International Airport (MLI) has 3 runways.
• Because of Quad City International Airport's relatively low elevation of 590 feet, planes can take off or land at Quad City 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.

Facts about RAF Lakenheath (LKZ):

• In response to the threat by the Soviet Union, by the 1948 Berlin blockade, President Truman decided to realign USAFE into a permanent combat-capable force.
• Lakenheath Airfield was used by RAF flying units on detachment late in 1941.
• In early 1943, three T-2 hangars were erected on the north side of the airfield for glider storage, 40 Horsa Gliders being dispersed at Lakenheath during that year.
• The closest airport to RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is RAF Mildenhall (MHZ), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) SW of LKZ.
• The reason for the departure of the two bomber squadrons was Lakenheath's selection for upgrading to a Very Heavy Bomber airfield.
• Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force station near the town of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England located 4.7 miles north-east of Mildenhall, Suffolk and 8.3 miles west of Thetford, Norfolk.
• Many SAC Squadrons had aircraft at RAF Lakenheath on a transitotry basis without any recorded deployment to the base.
• 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.