Nonstop flight route between Newquay, England, United Kingdom and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Newquay Cornwall Airport (NQY), Newquay, England, United Kingdom and McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,738 miles (or 7,626 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 Newquay Cornwall Airport and McChord Field/McChord AFB, 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 Newquay Cornwall Airport and McChord Field/McChord AFB. 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 Newquay Cornwall Airport (NQY):

• By virtue of a recent Statutory Instrument issued on 22 September 2009, Newquay Airport will, from the coming in force of this instrument on 1 November 2009, be subject to current airport bylaws, as per Section 63 of the Airports Act 1986
• The furthest airport from Newquay Cornwall Airport (NQY) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is nearly antipodal to Newquay Cornwall Airport (meaning Newquay Cornwall Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Dunedin International Airport), and is located 12,055 miles (19,400 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• In addition to being known as "Newquay Cornwall Airport", other names for NQY include "Ayrborth Tewynblustri Kernow" and "EGHQ".
• Newquay Cornwall Airport handled 174,891 passengers last year.
• In July 2011, the airport's main carrier, Air Southwest, announced the end of all flights from Newquay with effect 30 September 2011, leaving the airport with only three year-round scheduled routes.
• Because of Newquay Cornwall Airport's relatively low elevation of 390 feet, planes can take off or land at Newquay Cornwall 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 runway is able to take the very largest and fastest of civil and military aircraft, having been built and maintained for decades as a United States Air Force ASW tactical nuclear bomber base.
• Newquay Cornwall Airport (NQY) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Newquay Cornwall Airport (NQY) is Land's End Airport (LEQ), which is located 38 miles (61 kilometers) SW of NQY.

Facts about McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM):

• The furthest airport from McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,803 miles (17,386 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• On 28 February 1938 the airfield was officially transferred to the United States Government.
• During the International Geophysical Year 1957–1958, and subsequently through 1962 the 62d TCW supported scientific stations in the Arctic Ocean by airlanding and airdropping supplies on the drifting ice.
• McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "McChord Field/McChord AFB", another name for TCM is "Part of Air Mobility Command (AMC)".
• McChord also had large maintenance facilities for Air Technical Service Command during the war, serving served as a P-39 Aircobra modification center April 1944 – May 1945 for lend-lease aircraft being sent to Russia via the Alaska Territory.
• The closest airport to McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Gray Army Airfield (GRF), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) SW of TCM.
• The base was the location of the first of twenty-eight stations built by ADC as part of the permanent air defense radar network, and was the top-priority site for ADC radars.
• With the departure of the 17th Bomb Group, the mission of McChord Field became supporting the Army Air Forces Training Command's mission of training of units, crews, and individuals for bombardment, fighter, and reconnaissance operations.
• On 1 August 1946, McChord was assigned to the new Air Defense Command, with a mission of air defense of the United States.
• Because of McChord Field/McChord AFB's relatively low elevation of 322 feet, planes can take off or land at McChord Field/McChord AFB 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.
• Nearly all new heavy bomb groups organized after Pearl Harbor were organized and trained at Second Air Force Bases, by II Bomber Command operational training units then were deployed to combat commands around the world.