Nonstop flight route between Brunswick, Maine, United States and Fairford, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Naval Air Station Brunswick (NHZ), Brunswick, Maine, United States and RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,092 miles (or 4,975 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 Brunswick and RAF Fairford, 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 Brunswick and RAF Fairford. 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 Brunswick (NHZ):

• The closest airport to Naval Air Station Brunswick (NHZ) is Wiscasset Airport (ISS), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) ENE of NHZ.
• May 2009 saw the last squadron Changes of Command held on base when the reigns of the Patrol Squadron 26 Tridents and the Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 62 Nor’Easters were handed over to new Commanding Officers.
• The base closed on May 31, 2011, as per the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure committee decision.
• The air station was deactivated in October 1946, the land was reverted to caretaker status, and the land and buildings leased jointly to the University of Maine and Bowdoin College.
• On October 21, 2008, P-3 Orion from Patrol Wing Five overshot the runway at Bagram Air Base while landing.
• The furthest airport from Naval Air Station Brunswick (NHZ) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,697 miles (18,825 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Naval Air Station Brunswick (NHZ) has 2 runways.
• Because of Naval Air Station Brunswick's relatively low elevation of 75 feet, planes can take off or land at Naval Air Station Brunswick 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.
• Fleet Air Wing Five aircraft also played an important part in America’s early manned space programs in 1965 and 1966, helping to locate Mercury and Gemini capsules after splashdowns.

Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):

• The furthest airport from RAF Fairford (FFD) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,898 miles (19,148 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• Due to the deteriorating airfield facilities and its unique NATO heavy bomber mission, RAF Fairford underwent a $100 million upgrade of its runway and fuel systems in the largest NATO funded airfield construction project within a NATO country since the end of the Cold War.
• The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
• In 1950, as a result of the beginning of the Cold War, the airfield was transferred to the U.S.
• Royal Air Force Fairford or more simply RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England which is currently a standby airfield and therefore not in everyday use.
• On 15 September 2009, it was announced that the USAF will withdraw all their uniformed staff from the station by September 2010, after which it will be run on a "care and maintenance" basis.
• On 12 May 2005, USAFE activated the 501st Combat Support Wing, with headquarters at RAF Alconbury, to provide support to its GSUs in the United Kingdom.