Nonstop flight route between Point Lookout, Missouri, United States and Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport (PLK), Point Lookout, Missouri, United States and RAF Lakenheath (LKZ), Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,413 miles (or 7,102 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 M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport and RAF Lakenheath, 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 M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport and RAF Lakenheath. 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 M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport (PLK):

• Clark Field has at times been one of the busiest general aviation airports in the region.
• M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport (PLK) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport (PLK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,834 miles (17,435 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport (PLK) is Branson Airport (BKG), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) SSE of PLK.
• Because of M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport's relatively low elevation of 940 feet, planes can take off or land at M. Graham Clark Downtown 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.
• A private entity had contracted with the college to provide commercial airline service to Clark Field, serving Branson, in the late 1990s, but the venture failed and the terminal building, fire department building, and associated ramp were turned over to the college.

Facts about RAF Lakenheath (LKZ):

• The closest airport to RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is RAF Mildenhall (MHZ), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) SW of LKZ.
• Meanwhile on 30 April 1956, two Lockheed U-2s were airlifted to RAF Lakenheath to form CIA Detachment A.
• By 1950, Lakenheath was one of three main operating bases for the U.S.
• On 27 November 1948, operational control of RAF Lakenheath was transferred from the Royal Air Force to USAFE.
• The furthest airport from RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,827 miles (19,034 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In 1940, the Air Ministry selected Lakenheath as an alternative for RAF Mildenhall and used it as a decoy airfield.
• On 1 May 1951, Lakenheath was transferred from USAFE to SAC, and placed under the 3909th Air Base Group.
• In April 1947, RAF Bomber Command returned to Lakenheath and had the runways repaired, resurfaced, and readied for operations by May 1948.
• Taking part in more than 350 operations, more than half mine-laying, 149 Squadron had one of the lowest percentage loss rates of all Stirling squadrons.