Nonstop flight route between Catania, Italy and Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY), Catania, Italy and Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF), Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,383 miles (or 8,664 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 Sigonella and Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning), 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 Sigonella and Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning). 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 Sigonella (NSY):

• Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) has 2 runways.
• On 1 April 2004, the Defense Logistics Agency opened Defense Depot Sigonella Italy on NAS II to serve as a supply base for the Mediterranean.
• The closest airport to Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) is Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) ENE of NSY.
• On the night of 10 October 1985, there were tense hours on NAS II when the Italian Carabinieri, Italian Air Force, and the US Army's Delta Force came close to firing upon one another following the interception by Navy F-14 Tomcat fighters of an Egyptian Boeing 737 airliner carrying the hijackers of the Italian cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, which had been commandeered by members of the PLO on 7 October.
• In addition to being known as "Naval Air Station Sigonella", other names for NSY include "Base aerea di Sigonella" and "NAS Sigonella".
• Most permanent party military personnel and families are housed in Marinai, located 2 minutes from NAS II and approximately 10–15 minutes from NAS I.
• Because of Naval Air Station Sigonella's relatively low elevation of 79 feet, planes can take off or land at Naval Air Station Sigonella 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 Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,695 miles (18,821 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• When there was no room for expansion at Malta, the U.S.

Facts about Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF):

• In 1967, Lawson Army Airfield was used for filming as part of the production of The Green Berets.
• In 1933, the Army spent $855,060 upgrading Lawson's facilities.
• The closest airport to Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF) is Columbus Metropolitan Airport (CSG), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) NNE of LSF.
• During 1941, as the Army Air Corps transitioned to the U.S.
• Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF) currently has only 1 runway.
• Following the war, Troop Carrier Squadrons remained at Lawson in support of the Parachute School with the C-46.
• The furthest airport from Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,271 miles (18,139 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning)'s relatively low elevation of 232 feet, planes can take off or land at Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) 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.