Nonstop flight route between Istres, France and Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE), Istres, France and Ebadon Airstrip (EBN), Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,669 miles (or 13,951 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 Ebadon Airstrip, 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 Ebadon Airstrip. 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 Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE):

• 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.
• 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".
• The main USAAF use of Istres was by the 64th Troop Carrier Group, which operated C-47 Skytrain transports from the airfield from September to November 1944.
• Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) currently has only 1 runway.
• The base also hosts a helicopter squadron and a large repair and training facility.
• 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.
• 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.
• C135FR "GRV 093 Bretagne"
• Built prior to World War II, Istres Air Base was first used by the Armée de l'air during the early part of the war, and after the 1940 Battle of France and the June Armistice with Nazi Germany, became part of the limited air force of the Vichy Government.

Facts about Ebadon Airstrip (EBN):

• Little Bustard and Big Bustard are the first and second islets respectively north of Kwajalein island on the East reef, and are the only islets between Kwajalein and Ebeye.
• The water temperature averages 81 °F degrees and underwater visibility is typically 100 feet on the ocean side of the atoll.
• Because of Ebadon Airstrip's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Ebadon Airstrip 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.
• Omelek is uninhabited and leased by the U.S.
• The closest airport to Ebadon Airstrip (EBN) is Bucholz Army Airfield (KWA), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) NNW of EBN.
• The furthest airport from Ebadon Airstrip (EBN) is RAF Ascension (ASI), which is nearly antipodal to Ebadon Airstrip (meaning Ebadon Airstrip is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from RAF Ascension), and is located 12,282 miles (19,767 kilometers) away in Georgetown, Ascension Island, Saint Helena.
• After the war, a US Naval War Crimes court tried several Japanese naval officers here for war crimes committed elsewhere.
• Nell has a unique convergence of protected channels and small islands.
• Meck is a launch site for anti-ballistic missiles and is probably the most restricted island of all the U.S.-leased sites.