Nonstop flight route between Ruislip, England, United Kingdom and Merritt Island, Florida, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Northolt (NHT), Ruislip, England, United Kingdom and Merritt Island Airport (COI), Merritt Island, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,307 miles (or 6,931 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 RAF Northolt and Merritt Island 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 RAF Northolt and Merritt Island 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 RAF Northolt (NHT):

• The remains of a Hawker Hurricane flown by Flying Officer Ludwik Witold Paszkiewicz, the first pilot in No. 303 Squadron to shoot down an enemy aircraft, were donated to the station in June 2008.
• The outbreak of the First World War necessitated a new aerodrome for the Royal Flying Corps.
• The furthest airport from RAF Northolt (NHT) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,871 miles (19,105 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In August 1996, a Spanish Learjet operated by Mar Aviation overshot runway 25 and collided with a van heading eastward on the A40 Western Avenue.
• The closest airport to RAF Northolt (NHT) is London Heathrow Airport (LHR), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) SSW of NHT.
• In 1943, the station became the first to fly sorties using Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXs in German airspace in support of bomber operations.

Facts about Merritt Island Airport (COI):

• The furthest airport from Merritt Island Airport (COI) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,544 miles (18,578 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
• Merritt Island Airport (COI) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Merritt Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 7 feet, planes can take off or land at Merritt Island 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 the early 1940s, the Brevard County Mosquito Control District constructed the Central Brevard Airport.
• The closest airport to Merritt Island Airport (COI) is Patrick Air Force Base (COF), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) SSE of COI.