Nonstop flight route between Manzanillo, Cuba and Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO), Manzanillo, Cuba and NAS Key West (NQX), Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 417 miles (or 671 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 Sierra Maestra Airport and NAS Key West, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO):

• The closest airport to Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO) is Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Airport (BYM), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) ENE of MZO.
• Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Sierra Maestra Airport's relatively low elevation of 112 feet, planes can take off or land at Sierra Maestra 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 Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,747 miles (18,905 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.

Facts about NAS Key West (NQX):

• The nation's southernmost Naval Base proved to be an ideal year-round training facility with rapid access to the open sea lanes and ideal flying conditions for Naval Aviation.
• In addition to being known as "NAS Key West", other names for NQX include "Naval Air Station Key West" and "NQX[1]".
• In the 1970s, Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 33 relocated to NAS Key West from NAS Norfolk, Virginia with a mix of NC-121K, ERA-3B / TA-3B / KA-3B Skywarrior, EA-6A Intruder, EA-4F Skyhawk II, EP-3 Orion and the sole example of the EF-4B/EF-4J Phantom II aircraft.
• The furthest airport from NAS Key West (NQX) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,575 miles (18,629 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• By 1943, German submarines were operating so near Key West that they were sinking allied ships within sight of land.
• Because of NAS Key West's relatively low elevation of 6 feet, planes can take off or land at NAS Key West 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.
• During the 1980s and 1990s, Fighter Squadron 45 was also based at NAS Key West to provide air combat adversary services with A-4 Skyhawk II, F-5E/F Freedom Fighter and F-16N Fighting Falcon aircraft.
• NAS Key West (NQX) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to NAS Key West (NQX) is Key West International Airport (EYW), which is located only 5 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of NQX.
• On January 18, 1918, the first class of student aviators arrived for seaplane training, which launched the station's reputation as a premier training site for Naval Aviators, a reputation which continues today.