Nonstop flight route between Johannesburg, South Africa and Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Rand Airport (QRA), Johannesburg, South Africa and United States Air Force Academy (AFF), Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,598 miles (or 15,447 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 Rand Airport and United States Air Force Academy, 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 Rand Airport and United States Air Force Academy. 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 Rand Airport (QRA):

• Rand Airport is notorious for its hot and high conditions and relatively short runways.
• The furthest airport from Rand Airport (QRA) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,977 miles (19,275 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• de Havilland DH 104 Dove and Lockheed L18-08 Lodestar on view at the South African Airways Museum Society at Rand Airport.
• Because of Rand Airport's high elevation of 5,482 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at QRA. Combined with a high temperature, this could make QRA a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Today, the airport hosts air charter operators, flying schools and a number of aircraft maintenance organizations, as well as pilot shops, car hire and other aviation-related enterprises.
• Rand Airport (QRA) has 2 runways.
• The following navigational aids are installed for non precision instrument approaches at this airport.
• The closest airport to Rand Airport (QRA) is O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) NE of QRA.
• The recently upgraded fire station.
• SAA moved its headquarters to Palmietfontein Airport in 1948 because of runway length constraints.
• South African Airways donated two Boeing 747s to the "South African Airways Museum Society" which are on display at the airport.

Facts about United States Air Force Academy (AFF):

• The Aeronautics Research Center contains numerous aeronautical research facilities, including transonic, subsonic, low speed, and cascade wind tunnels.
• The furthest airport from United States Air Force Academy (AFF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,934 miles (17,596 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The buildings in the Cadet Area were designed in a distinct, modernist style, and make extensive use of aluminum on building exteriors, suggesting the outer skin of aircraft or spacecraft.
• The closest airport to United States Air Force Academy (AFF) is City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) SSE of AFF.
• Many of the women from those early classes went on to achieve success within the Cadet Wing and after graduation.
• The Cadet Honor Code is the cornerstone of a cadet's professional training and development – the minimum standard of ethical conduct that cadets expect of themselves and their fellow cadets.
• The Class of 1959 established many other important traditions that continue until the present.