Nonstop flight route between Palm Springs, California, United States and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP), Palm Springs, California, United States and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,291 miles (or 8,515 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 Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield and MoD St Athan, 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 Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield and MoD St Athan. 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 Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP):

• The furthest airport from Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,464 miles (18,450 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• PSP is served by both municipal and regional lines.
• The airport was named one of "America's Most Stress-Free Airports" by Smarter Travel.
• Because of Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 477 feet, planes can take off or land at Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield 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.
• Palm Springs International Airport is a public airport two miles east of downtown Palm Springs, California.
• In March 1941 the War Department certified improvements to the existing airport in Palm Springs as essential to National Defense.
• The closest airport to Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP) is Bermuda Dunes Airport (UDD), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) ESE of PSP.
• Although a true international airport, PSP does have customs for general aviation aircraft only, and immigration facilities.
• Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP) has 2 runways.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• MOD St Athan is a large Ministry of Defence unit near the village of St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, southern Wales.
• Because of MoD St Athan's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at MoD St Athan 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 furthest airport from MoD St Athan (DGX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• During the war a dummy airfield was built using wood and cardboard a few miles west of the original airfield and successful efforts were made to hide the proper field.
• In 2006, the Special Forces Support Group was raised at St Athan and the Welsh Guards returned to London.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• The only squadrons to operate out of St Athan on a regular basis are the University of Wales Air Squadron, flying Grob Tutors and No 634 Volunteer Gliding Squadron using Vigilant T.1s.
• The training to be carried out at St Athan was to be specialist phase 2 and phase 3 engineering courses of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
• The MOD later decided that DARA's 'Fast Jets' and 'Engines' businesses would close by April 2007, although the 'Large Aircraft' business would continue and, on 14 April 2005, the Project Red Dragon super-hangar opened and DARA moved its VC10 operations from its existing 'Twin Peaks' hangar into the new facility.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• The last aircraft to be serviced at St Athan, a Vickers VC10, departed the site on 23 February 2012.