Nonstop flight route between Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica and Spokane, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Puerto Jiménez Airport (PJM), Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica and Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA), Spokane, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,365 miles (or 5,416 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 Puerto Jiménez Airport and Fairchild Air Force Base, 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 Puerto Jiménez Airport and Fairchild Air Force Base. 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 Puerto Jiménez Airport (PJM):

• The furthest airport from Puerto Jiménez Airport (PJM) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Puerto Jiménez Airport (meaning Puerto Jiménez Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,184 miles (19,608 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Because of Puerto Jiménez Airport's relatively low elevation of 7 feet, planes can take off or land at Puerto Jiménez 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 closest airport to Puerto Jiménez Airport (PJM) is Golfito Airport (GLF), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) NE of PJM.
• Puerto Jiménez Airport (PJM) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA):

• From 1942 until 1946, the base served as a repair depot for damaged aircraft returning from the Pacific Theater.
• The furthest airport from Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,665 miles (17,163 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The closest airport to Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Spokane International Airport (GEG), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) E of SKA.
• Throughout much of the 1990s, the wing was actively involved in missions against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
• Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, a total of 560 base personnel deployed to Desert Shield and Desert Storm from August 1990 to March 1991.
• In addition to being known as "Fairchild Air Force Base", another name for SKA is "Fairchild AFB".
• In 1956 the wing began a conversion that brought the B-52 Stratofortress to Fairchild, followed by the KC-135 Stratotanker in 1958.
• Since 1942, Fairchild Air Force Base/Station has been a key part of the United States' defense strategy—from World War II repair depot, to Strategic Air Command bomber wing during the Cold War, to Air Mobility Command air refueling wing during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.