Nonstop flight route between Panama City, Florida, United States and Fairford, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN), Panama City, Florida, United States and RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,363 miles (or 7,021 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 Panama City–Bay County International Airport 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 Panama City–Bay County International Airport 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 Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN):

• In 1995 the airport went through extensive development, demolishing the old terminal building and building a new 55,573-square-foot facility with six gates, two with jetbridges.
• Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN) has 2 runways.
• Panama City–Bay County International Airport began as a private field owned by J.B.
• The closest airport to Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN) is Tyndall Air Force Base (PAM), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SE of PFN.
• In 1992 the airport was equipped with on-call customs and immigrations facilities provided through the Port of Panama City and was designated as an international airport and renamed Panama City–Bay County International Airport.
• Panama City–Bay County International Airport was a public airport three miles northwest of Panama City, in Bay County, Florida.
• The furthest airport from Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,227 miles (18,068 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Panama City–Bay County International Airport's relatively low elevation of 20 feet, planes can take off or land at Panama City–Bay County International 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.

Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):

• The 422nd ABG at RAF Croughton and the 420th Air Base Squadron are responsible for the day-to-day operations of RAF Fairford, ensuring that it has adequate resources.
• 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 14 January 2004, the 420th Air Base Group was established at RAF Fairford to improve the control of its geographically separated units that had been aligned beneath the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall.
• In the early years of the Cold War the British and American governments reached an agreement under which elements of the USAF Strategic Air Command would be based in the UK.
• Operations staff and maintenance personnel were permanently assigned, but aircraft, aircrews and crew chiefs were temporarily assigned to the 11th Strategic Group for the European Tanker Task Force on rotation.
• 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.
• The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
• KC-135 and KC-10 tankers deployed to Fairford supported Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986.