Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Chu Lai, Quang Nam, Vietnam:
Departure Airport:
(34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W)
Arrival Airport:
(15°24'21"N by 108°42'20"E)
Distance from MSL to VCL:
8,809.88 miles (14,178.10 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- VCL Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about VCL
- Map of Nearest Airports to MSL
- List of Nearest Airports to MSL
- Map of Furthest Airports from MSL
- List of Furthest Airports from MSL
- Map of Nearest Airports to VCL
- List of Nearest Airports to VCL
- Map of Furthest Airports from VCL
- List of Furthest Airports from VCL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Chu Lai Airport (VCL), Chu Lai, Quang Nam, Vietnam would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,810 miles (or 14,178 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Chu Lai Airport, 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Chu Lai Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MSL / KMSL |
| Airport Name: | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport |
| Location: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W |
| Area Served: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama |
| Operator/Owner: | Colbert & Lauderdale Counties |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 551 feet (168 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MSL |
| More Information: | MSL Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | VCL / |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Chu Lai, Quang Nam, Vietnam |
| GPS Coordinates: | 15°24'21"N by 108°42'20"E |
| Area Served: | Tam Kỳ, Vietnam |
| Operator/Owner: | Middle Airports Corporation |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| View all routes: | Routes from VCL |
| More Information: | VCL Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- The closest airport to Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), which is located 38 miles (62 kilometers) E of MSL.
- Instruction at the school consisted of teaching the cadets to fly in formation, fly by instruments or by aerial navigation, fly at night, and fly for long distances.
- Because of Northwest Alabama Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 551 feet, planes can take off or land at Northwest Alabama Regional 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.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- The airport was opened in February 1940, however in 1942 it was taken over by the United States Army Air Forces as a World War II pilot training military airfield.
- Prior to summer 2009, Muscle Shoals was served from Northwest Airlines' hub in Memphis via Northwest Airlink turboprop service operated by Mesaba Airlines.
- The furthest airport from Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,143 miles (17,932 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about Chu Lai Airport (VCL):
- Chu Lai International Airport is an airport in Chu Lai, Vietnam.
- The furthest airport from Chu Lai Airport (VCL) is Rodríguez Ballón International Airport (AQP), which is nearly antipodal to Chu Lai Airport (meaning Chu Lai Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Rodríguez Ballón International Airport), and is located 12,369 miles (19,907 kilometers) away in Arequipa, Peru.
- The closest airport to Chu Lai Airport (VCL) is Đà Nẵng International Airport (DAD), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) NW of VCL.
- The government of Vietnam has approved an investment plan for this airport.
- In addition to being known as "Chu Lai Airport", other names for VCL include "Sân bay Chu Lai" and "VVCA".
- In the Vietnam War, this airfield was an airbase of the United States Marines.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 38.30 miles (61.63 km) E | Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) | Decatur, Alabama, United States |     |
| 2 | 48.04 miles (77.31 km) E | Huntsville International Airport (HSV) | Huntsville / Decatur, Alabama, United States | |
| 3 | 48.69 miles (78.35 km) SSW | Marion County - Rankin Fite Airport (HAB) | Hamilton, Alabama, United States | |
| 4 | 52.77 miles (84.92 km) E | Redstone Army Airfield (AAF) (HUA) | Redstone Arsenal (near Huntsville), Alabama, United States | |
| 5 | 57.54 miles (92.61 km) WNW | Roscoe Turner Airport (CRX) | Corinth, Mississippi, United States | |
| 6 | 60.98 miles (98.14 km) NNE | Maury County Airport (MRC) | Columbia/Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, United States | |
| 7 | 63.15 miles (101.63 km) ENE | Fayetteville Municipal Airport (FYM) | Fayetteville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 8 | 73.81 miles (118.78 km) WSW | Tupelo Regional Airport (TUP) | Tupelo, Mississippi, United States | |
| 9 | 76.02 miles (122.34 km) N | Centerville Municipal Airport (GHM) | Centerville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 10 | 86.70 miles (139.52 km) NE | Shelbyville Municipal Airport (SYI) | Shelbyville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 11 | 88.71 miles (142.77 km) ENE | Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA) | Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States | |
| 12 | 89.78 miles (144.49 km) SSW | Columbus Air Force Base (CBM) | Columbus, Mississippi, United States | |
| 13 | 94.44 miles (151.99 km) NW | McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL) | Jackson, Tennessee, United States | |
| 14 | 95.23 miles (153.26 km) SSE | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | |
| 15 | 98.80 miles (159.01 km) SSW | Columbus-Lowndes County Airport (UBS) | Columbus, Mississippi, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,142.65 miles (17,932.31 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,122.93 miles (17,900.57 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,103.49 miles (17,869.29 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,090.79 miles (17,848.85 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,087.23 miles (17,843.13 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,084.36 miles (17,838.50 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,072.96 miles (17,820.15 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,066.34 miles (17,809.50 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,065.40 miles (17,807.98 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,059.28 miles (17,798.14 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,036.88 miles (17,762.10 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,012.40 miles (17,722.70 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,003.51 miles (17,708.39 km) W | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,999.24 miles (17,701.51 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,995.36 miles (17,695.27 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 55.45 miles (89.24 km) NW | Đà Nẵng International Airport (DAD) | Da Nang, Vietnam | |
| 2 | 95.77 miles (154.12 km) NW | Phu Bai International Airport (HUI) | Huế, Thừa Thiên–Huế, Vietnam | |
| 3 | 102.76 miles (165.37 km) SSE | Phu Cat Airport (UIH) | Qui Nhơn, Binh Dinh, Vietnam | |
| 4 | 163.21 miles (262.67 km) SW | Ratanakiri Airport (RBE) | Ratanakiri, Cambodia | |
| 5 | 193.21 miles (310.94 km) SSW | Buon Ma Thuot Airport (BMV) | Buon Me Thuot, Vietnam | |
| 6 | 205.53 miles (330.77 km) NNE | Sanya Phoenix International Airport (SYX) | Sanya, Hainan, China | |
| 7 | 237.99 miles (383.00 km) S | Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR) | Cam Ranh, Khánh Hòa, Vietnam | |
| 8 | 253.56 miles (408.06 km) S | Lien Khuong Airport (DLI) | Da Lat, Lam Dong, Vietnam | |
| 9 | 255.79 miles (411.65 km) W | Ubon Ratchathani Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุบลราชธานี (UBP) | Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand | |
| 10 | 273.89 miles (440.79 km) WNW | Savannakhet Airport (ZVK) | Savannakhet, Laos | |
| 11 | 301.95 miles (485.94 km) WNW | Nakhon Phanom Airport (KOP) | Nakhon Phanom, Thailand | |
| 12 | 305.15 miles (491.09 km) NW | Vinh Airport (VII) | Vinh, Nghe An, Vietnam | |
| 13 | 333.49 miles (536.71 km) NNE | Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK) | Haikou, Hainan, China | |
| 14 | 345.75 miles (556.42 km) SSW | Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport (SGN) | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | |
| 15 | 352.98 miles (568.07 km) SW | Kampong Chhnang Airport (KZC) | Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,369.41 miles (19,906.59 km) SSE | Rodríguez Ballón International Airport (AQP) | Arequipa, Peru | |
| 2 | 12,361.00 miles (19,893.05 km) W | Inca Manco Cápac International Airport (JUL) | Juliaca, Peru | |
| 3 | 12,300.45 miles (19,795.61 km) SSE | Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) | Cusco, Cusco Region, Peru | |
| 4 | 12,278.62 miles (19,760.47 km) S | Ilo Airport (ILQ) | Ilo, Moquegua Region, Peru | |
| 5 | 12,256.15 miles (19,724.31 km) SE | Andahuaylas Airport (ANS) | Andahuaylas, Peru | |
| 6 | 12,237.53 miles (19,694.35 km) WSW | Apolo Airport (APB) | Apolo, La Paz, Bolivia | |
| 7 | 12,223.92 miles (19,672.44 km) SSW | Chacalluta International Airport (ARI) | Arica, Chile | |
| 8 | 12,223.92 miles (19,672.44 km) SSW | Chacalluta International Airport (ACM) | Arica, Amazonas, Colombia | |
| 9 | 12,216.98 miles (19,661.28 km) WSW | El Alto International Airport (LPB) | La Paz, Bolivia | |
| 10 | 12,199.31 miles (19,632.83 km) SW | Padre Aldamiz International Airport (PEM) | Puerto Maldonado, Peru | |
| 11 | 12,189.29 miles (19,616.71 km) E | Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC) | Nazca, Ica Region, Peru | |
| 12 | 12,187.50 miles (19,613.83 km) SE | Coronel FAP Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport (AYP) | Ayacucho, Peru | |
| 13 | 12,187.50 miles (19,613.83 km) SE | Coronel FAP Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport (AYC) | Ayacucho, Peru | |
| 14 | 12,174.48 miles (19,592.87 km) WSW | Rurrenabaque Airport (RBQ) | Rurrenabaque, Bolivia | |
| 15 | 12,147.79 miles (19,549.93 km) SSW | Alerta Airport (ALD) | Alerta, Peru | |