Nonstop flight route between Oak Harbor, Washington, United States and Mercury, Nevada, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from NUW to DRA:
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- About this route
- NUW Airport Information
- DRA Airport Information
- Facts about NUW
- Facts about DRA
- Map of Nearest Airports to NUW
- List of Nearest Airports to NUW
- Map of Furthest Airports from NUW
- List of Furthest Airports from NUW
- Map of Nearest Airports to DRA
- List of Nearest Airports to DRA
- Map of Furthest Airports from DRA
- List of Furthest Airports from DRA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between NAS Whidbey Island (NUW), Oak Harbor, Washington, United States and Desert Rock Airport (DRA), Mercury, Nevada, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 877 miles (or 1,412 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 relatively short distance between NAS Whidbey Island and Desert Rock Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | NUW / KNUW |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Oak Harbor, Washington, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 48°21'6"N by 122°39'20"W |
Operator/Owner: | United States Navy |
Airport Type: | Military: Naval Air Station |
Elevation: | 47 feet (14 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from NUW |
More Information: | NUW Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DRA / KDRA |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Mercury, Nevada, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 36°37'9"N by 116°1'58"W |
Operator/Owner: | Mercury, Nevada |
Airport Type: | United States Department of Energy/Nevada |
Elevation: | 1010 feet (308 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from DRA |
More Information: | DRA Maps & Info |
Facts about NAS Whidbey Island (NUW):
- NAS Whidbey Island (NUW) has 2 runways.
- The other section of the air station is known as the Seaplane Base.
- On September 21, 1942, the air station's first Commanding Officer, CAPT Cyril Thomas Simard, read the orders and the watch was set.
- In addition to being known as "NAS Whidbey Island", another name for NUW is "Ault Field".
- The closest airport to NAS Whidbey Island (NUW) is A.J. Eisenberg Airport (ODW), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) S of NUW.
- The furthest airport from NAS Whidbey Island (NUW) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,730 miles (17,268 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- After World War II ended, operations slowed at war’s end and it was almost certain that NAS Whidbey Island would be earmarked for decommissioning.
- Because of NAS Whidbey Island's relatively low elevation of 47 feet, planes can take off or land at NAS Whidbey Island 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 1997 The last Pacific Based A-6E Intruder Squadron VA-196 "Milestones" decommissioned following a lengthy deployment for WESTPAC 1996.
Facts about Desert Rock Airport (DRA):
- Desert Rock Airport (DRA) currently has only 1 runway.
- In addition to being known as "Desert Rock Airport", another name for DRA is "NV65".
- The furthest airport from Desert Rock Airport (DRA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,271 miles (18,139 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- The closest airport to Desert Rock Airport (DRA) is Creech Air Force Base Indian Springs Auxiliary Army Airfield (1961) Indian Springs Air Force Base (1951) Indian Springs Army Airfield Indian Springs Airport eponyms: Indian Springs, Nevada &Wilbur L. Creech[1] (INS), which is located only 20 miles (32 kilometers) E of DRA.