Nonstop flight route between Oak Harbor, Washington, United States and Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from NUW to SWS:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- NUW Airport Information
- SWS Airport Information
- Facts about NUW
- Facts about SWS
- 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 SWS
- List of Nearest Airports to SWS
- Map of Furthest Airports from SWS
- List of Furthest Airports from SWS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between NAS Whidbey Island (NUW), Oak Harbor, Washington, United States and Swansea Airport (SWS), Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,640 miles (or 7,468 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 NAS Whidbey Island and Swansea 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 NAS Whidbey Island and Swansea Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
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: | SWS / EGFH |
| Airport Name: | Swansea Airport |
| Location: | Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°36'19"N by 4°4'4"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Swansea Airport Ltd. |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 299 feet (91 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SWS |
| More Information: | SWS Maps & Info |
Facts about NAS Whidbey Island (NUW):
- In addition to being known as "NAS Whidbey Island", another name for NUW is "Ault Field".
- 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 all, there are 17 active duty squadrons and 2 Ready Reserve squadrons currently based at NAS Whidbey Island.
- During the Korean War, patrol plane activity was stepped up again with several Naval Air Reserve units being called up and redesignated as active duty squadrons.
- 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.
- NAS Whidbey Island (NUW) has 2 runways.
- A lightly utilized satellite airfield, Naval Outlying Landing Field Coupeville, is located on central Whidbey Island at 48°11′24″N 122°37′48″W / 48.19000°N 122.63000°W / 48.19000.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Swansea Airport (SWS):
- Swansea Airport was built on what was originally common land during World War II.
- Swansea Airport has a CAA Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee.
- The aerodrome fulfilled a variety of military roles during World War II, with the addition of an Armament Practice Camp in October 1943 which expanded into an Armament Practice Station in July 1945 following which it went into 'care and maintenance' in October 1946.
- The Welsh Assembly Government is currently conducting studies into improving the facilities at the airport as part of the transport infrastructure development strategy for the whole of Wales.
- The closest airport to Swansea Airport (SWS) is MoD St Athan (DGX), which is located 31 miles (49 kilometers) ESE of SWS.
- The airport is mainly used to handle light helicopters and small private aircraft.
- Swansea Airport (SWS) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Swansea Airport (SWS) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,966 miles (19,257 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- The airport was, for a short time, the headquarters of Air Wales before they ceased all operations from the airport to focus on more popular routes from Cardiff International Airport, although before their demise, the headquarters remained in Swansea, instead at a city-centre location.
- Because of Swansea Airport's relatively low elevation of 299 feet, planes can take off or land at Swansea 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.
