Nonstop flight route between Istres, France and Bluefield, West Virginia, United States:
Departure Airport:
(43°31'27"N by 4°56'30"E)
Arrival Airport:
(37°17'44"N by 81°12'28"W)
Distance from QIE to BLF:
4,343.87 miles (6,990.76 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- QIE Airport Information
- BLF Airport Information
- Facts about QIE
- Facts about BLF
- Map of Nearest Airports to QIE
- List of Nearest Airports to QIE
- Map of Furthest Airports from QIE
- List of Furthest Airports from QIE
- Map of Nearest Airports to BLF
- List of Nearest Airports to BLF
- Map of Furthest Airports from BLF
- List of Furthest Airports from BLF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE), Istres, France and Mercer County Airport (BLF), Bluefield, West Virginia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,344 miles (or 6,991 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 Istres-Le Tubé Air Base and Mercer County 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 Istres-Le Tubé Air Base and Mercer County Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | QIE / LFMI |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Istres, France |
| GPS Coordinates: | 43°31'27"N by 4°56'30"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Government of France |
| Airport Type: | Military |
| Elevation: | 162 feet (49 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from QIE |
| More Information: | QIE Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BLF / KBLF |
| Airport Name: | Mercer County Airport |
| Location: | Bluefield, West Virginia, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°17'44"N by 81°12'28"W |
| Area Served: | Bluefield / Princeton, West Virginia |
| Operator/Owner: | Mercer County Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 2857 feet (871 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BLF |
| More Information: | BLF Maps & Info |
Facts about Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE):
- The closest airport to Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) is Marseille Provence Airport (MRS), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) ESE of QIE.
- Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) currently has only 1 runway.
- In addition to being known as "Istres-Le Tubé Air Base", another name for QIE is "Base aérienne 125 Istres (BA 125)Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) Y-17".
- Because of Istres-Le Tubé Air Base's relatively low elevation of 162 feet, planes can take off or land at Istres-Le Tubé Air Base 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.
- With the end of the war, the Americans used Istres as a staging point between Occupied Germany and Morocco for air transport of personnel back to the United States.
- On 31 March 1992, a Boeing 707 of Kabo Air, a Nigerian company, made an emergency landing at Istres after engines 3 and 4 had separated from the wing in turbulence at 35,000 feet.
- The furthest airport from Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (meaning Istres-Le Tubé Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,364 miles (19,898 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
Facts about Mercer County Airport (BLF):
- Mercer County Airport (BLF) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Mercer County Airport (BLF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,493 miles (18,496 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Mercer County Airport covers an area of 144 acres at an elevation of 2,857 feet above mean sea level.
- The closest airport to Mercer County Airport (BLF) is New River Valley Airport (PSK), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) ESE of BLF.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 14.99 miles (24.12 km) ESE | Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) | Marseille, France |     |
| 2 | 21.36 miles (34.38 km) E | Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB) | Aix-en-Provence / Les Milles, France | |
| 3 | 26.48 miles (42.62 km) N | Avignon - Caumont Airport (AVN) | Avignon, France | |
| 4 | 30.81 miles (49.58 km) WNW | Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes Airport (FNI) | Nîmes-Arles-Camargue, France | |
| 5 | 42.69 miles (68.70 km) N | Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (XOG) | Orange, France | |
| 6 | 49.14 miles (79.08 km) W | Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport (MPL) | Montpellier, France | |
| 7 | 67.36 miles (108.41 km) ESE | Toulon–Hyères Airport (TLN) | Toulon, France | |
| 8 | 80.45 miles (129.48 km) ESE | La Môle – Saint-Tropez Airport (LTT) | La Môle / Saint-Tropez, France | |
| 9 | 80.91 miles (130.21 km) W | Béziers Cap d'Agde Airport (BZR) | Béziers, France | |
| 10 | 96.13 miles (154.70 km) N | Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) | Valence, France | |
| 11 | 100.81 miles (162.24 km) E | Cannes - Mandelieu Airport (CEQ) | Cannes, France | |
| 12 | 102.14 miles (164.37 km) NE | Barcelonnette - Saint-Pons Airport (BAE) | Barcelonnette / Saint-Pons, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France | |
| 13 | 114.17 miles (183.74 km) E | Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE) | Nice, France | |
| 14 | 117.63 miles (189.31 km) WSW | Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF) | Perpignan, France | |
| 15 | 121.91 miles (196.20 km) NNE | Alpe d'Huez Airport (AHZ) | Alpe d'Huez, France | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,364.15 miles (19,898.13 km) ESE | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,942.89 miles (19,220.16 km) SE | Gisborne Airport (GIS) | Gisborne, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,934.22 miles (19,206.22 km) ESE | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,929.54 miles (19,198.68 km) ESE | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,909.19 miles (19,165.94 km) ESE | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,898.40 miles (19,148.57 km) ESE | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,896.71 miles (19,145.85 km) ESE | Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,870.08 miles (19,103.00 km) ESE | Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) | Taupo, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,869.92 miles (19,102.74 km) ESE | Wanganui Airport (WAG) | Wanganui, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,865.80 miles (19,096.11 km) SE | Whakatane Airport (WHK) | Whakatane, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,859.01 miles (19,085.18 km) E | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,856.70 miles (19,081.47 km) E | Woodbourne Airport (BHE) | Blenheim, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,851.38 miles (19,072.90 km) SE | Rotorua International Airport (ROT) | Rotorua, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,825.96 miles (19,031.99 km) SE | Tauranga Airport (TRG) | Tauranga, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,820.02 miles (19,022.43 km) E | Nelson AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Whakatū (NSN) | Nelson, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 31.11 miles (50.07 km) ESE | New River Valley Airport (PSK) | Dublin, Virginia, United States | |
| 2 | 34.26 miles (55.13 km) N | Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) | Beckley, West Virginia, United States | |
| 3 | 44.42 miles (71.48 km) E | Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport (BCB) | Blacksburg, Virginia, United States | |
| 4 | 58.90 miles (94.80 km) NE | Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB) | Lewisburg, West Virginia, United States | |
| 5 | 61.99 miles (99.76 km) SW | Virginia Highlands Airport (VJI) | Abingdon, Virginia, United States | |
| 6 | 67.75 miles (109.03 km) E | Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) | Roanoke, Virginia, United States | |
| 7 | 74.39 miles (119.72 km) S | Wilkes County Airport (IKB) | North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, United States | |
| 8 | 75.88 miles (122.11 km) WSW | Lonesome Pine Airport (LNP) | Wise, Virginia, United States | |
| 9 | 77.53 miles (124.77 km) NNW | Yeager Airport (CRW) | Charleston, West Virginia, United States | |
| 10 | 87.23 miles (140.39 km) SW | Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI) | Blountville, Tennessee (Tri-Cities area), United States | |
| 11 | 97.11 miles (156.28 km) SE | Smith Reynolds Airport (INT) | Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States | |
| 12 | 104.38 miles (167.99 km) SSW | Foothills Regional Airport (MRN) | Morganton, North Carolina, United States | |
| 13 | 104.45 miles (168.10 km) NW | Tri-State Airport (HTS) | Huntington, West Virginia, United States | |
| 14 | 104.64 miles (168.41 km) NW | Lawrence County Airpark (HTW) | Chesapeake, Ohio / Huntington, West Virginia, United States | |
| 15 | 107.89 miles (173.64 km) S | Hickory Regional Airport (HKY) | Hickory, North Carolina, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,493.06 miles (18,496.25 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,471.25 miles (18,461.14 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,448.92 miles (18,425.21 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,443.63 miles (18,416.70 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,418.96 miles (18,376.99 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,403.58 miles (18,352.24 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,394.39 miles (18,337.45 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,387.55 miles (18,326.44 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,364.93 miles (18,290.03 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,349.04 miles (18,264.47 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,346.23 miles (18,259.94 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,320.00 miles (18,217.74 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,297.53 miles (18,181.57 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,293.50 miles (18,175.09 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,265.80 miles (18,130.50 km) SW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |