Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada:
Departure Airport:
(34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W)
Arrival Airport:
(49°20'13"N by 124°23'38"W)
Distance from MSL to XQU:
2,111.13 miles (3,397.52 km)
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- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- XQU Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about XQU
- 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 XQU
- List of Nearest Airports to XQU
- Map of Furthest Airports from XQU
- List of Furthest Airports from XQU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU), Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,111 miles (or 3,398 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 relatively short distance between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Qualicum Beach Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | XQU / |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada |
| GPS Coordinates: | 49°20'13"N by 124°23'38"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Town of Qualicum Beach |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 190 feet (58 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from XQU |
| More Information: | XQU Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- As per the Federal Aviation Administration, this airport had 5,061 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 6,897 in 2009, and 8,680 in 2010.
- Pilot training at the airfield apparently ended on May 30, 1944, with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program.
- 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.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU):
- The furthest airport from Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,694 miles (17,211 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- In addition to being known as "Qualicum Beach Airport", another name for XQU is "CAT4".
- Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Qualicum Beach Airport's relatively low elevation of 190 feet, planes can take off or land at Qualicum Beach 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 closest airport to Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU) is Nanaimo Harbour Water Airport (ZNA), which is located 24 miles (38 kilometers) ESE of XQU.
| 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 | 23.72 miles (38.17 km) ESE | Nanaimo Harbour Water Airport (ZNA) | Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 2 | 24.21 miles (38.97 km) W | Alberni Valley Regional Airport (YPB) | Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 3 | 25.28 miles (40.69 km) NNW | Texada/Gillies Bay Airport (YGB) | Texada Island, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 4 | 25.69 miles (41.34 km) NE | Pender Harbour Water Aerodrome (YPT) | Pender Harbour, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 5 | 30.68 miles (49.37 km) SE | Nanaimo Airport (YCD) | Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 6 | 31.54 miles (50.75 km) ENE | Sechelt Aerodrome (YHS) | Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 7 | 33.98 miles (54.69 km) NW | CFB Comox (YQQ) | Comox, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 8 | 34.67 miles (55.79 km) N | Powell River Airport (YPW) | Powell River, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 9 | 35.42 miles (57.00 km) NW | Courtenay Airpark (YCA) | Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 10 | 48.36 miles (77.83 km) SW | Bamfield Water Aerodrome (YBF) | Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 11 | 50.40 miles (81.11 km) SE | Duncan Airport (DUQ) | Duncan, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 12 | 52.62 miles (84.68 km) SE | Ganges Water Aerodrome (YGG) | Ganges, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 13 | 54.27 miles (87.34 km) NNW | Cortes Island Aerodrome (YCF) | Cortes Island, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 14 | 55.44 miles (89.21 km) E | Vancouver International Airport (YVR) | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 15 | 57.84 miles (93.08 km) E | Vancouver Harbour Water Airport (CXH) | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,694.41 miles (17,210.94 km) SSE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 2 | 10,636.23 miles (17,117.31 km) SSE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 3 | 10,622.56 miles (17,095.32 km) ESE | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 4 | 10,610.54 miles (17,075.97 km) ESE | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 5 | 10,605.95 miles (17,068.58 km) SE | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 6 | 10,579.59 miles (17,026.15 km) ESE | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 7 | 10,579.51 miles (17,026.02 km) ESE | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 8 | 10,565.60 miles (17,003.64 km) SE | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 9 | 10,550.74 miles (16,979.73 km) SE | Richards Bay Airport (RCB) | Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 10 | 10,541.76 miles (16,965.27 km) SE | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 11 | 10,515.04 miles (16,922.27 km) SE | Hluhluwe Airport (HLW) | Hluhluwe, South Africa | |
| 12 | 10,501.09 miles (16,899.82 km) S | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 13 | 10,490.86 miles (16,883.36 km) ESE | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 14 | 10,473.30 miles (16,855.11 km) SE | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 10,472.37 miles (16,853.60 km) ESE | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |