Nonstop flight route between Patuxent River, Maryland, United States and Murcia, Spain:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK), Patuxent River, Maryland, United States and Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV), Murcia, Spain would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,989 miles (or 6,420 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 Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Murcia–San Javier 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 Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Murcia–San Javier Airport. 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 Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK):

• Since the end of the Cold War, the Pentagon's Base Realignment and Closure measures have migrated research and testing facilities for both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft to NAS Patuxent River from decommissioned bases.
• Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK) has 3 runways.
• By 1965, reconnaissance Squadron VQ-4, based at NAS Patuxent River, began using Lockheed C-130s equipped with special communications equipment to perform their around-the-clock Take Charge and Move Out mission.
• The closest airport to Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK) is St. Mary's County Regional Airport (LTW), which is located only 8 miles (12 kilometers) WNW of NHK.
• In addition to being known as "Naval Air Station Patuxent River", other names for NHK include "Trapnell Field" and "KNHK - FAA: NHK".
• Because of Naval Air Station Patuxent River's relatively low elevation of 39 feet, planes can take off or land at Naval Air Station Patuxent River 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.
• Employing some 7,000 at its peak of construction, the area had a Gold Rush "boom town" feel as local residents were joined by workers from all over the country, eager to get on the high-paying jobs on station.
• The furthest airport from Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,728 miles (18,874 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• It is home to Headquarters, Naval Air Systems Command, the U.S.
• On 1 April 1976, Patuxent River's air field was named after pioneering aviator VADM Frederick M.

Facts about Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV):

• The furthest airport from Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV) is Gisborne Airport (GIS), which is nearly antipodal to Murcia–San Javier Airport (meaning Murcia–San Javier Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Gisborne Airport), and is located 12,347 miles (19,870 kilometers) away in Gisborne, New Zealand.
• Because of Murcia–San Javier Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Murcia–San Javier 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.
• In addition to being known as "Murcia–San Javier Airport", another name for MJV is "Aeropuerto de Murcia-San Javier".
• Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV) has 2 runways.
• In light of the development of the new International airport of the Region of Murcia in Corvera, and despite the recent investment of €60 million in a new runway and commercial terminal buildings, in November 2011 the Minister of Public Works Antonio Sevilla, and Secretary of State for Transport Isaías Táboas, signed an official agreement that effectively proposed to close the airport to commercial traffic from summer 2012.
• The closest airport to Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV) is Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC), which is located 38 miles (61 kilometers) NNE of MJV.