Nonstop flight route between Praia, Cape Verde and Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Praia International Airport (RAI), Praia, Cape Verde and NAS Key West (NQX), Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,816 miles (or 6,142 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 Praia International Airport and NAS Key West, 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 Praia International Airport and NAS Key West. 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 Praia International Airport (RAI):

• The closest airport to Praia International Airport (RAI) is Maio Airport (MMO), which is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) NE of RAI.
• Praia International Airport (RAI) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Praia International Airport's relatively low elevation of 230 feet, planes can take off or land at Praia International 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.
• The furthest airport from Praia International Airport (RAI) is Bellona/Anua Airport (BNY), which is nearly antipodal to Praia International Airport (meaning Praia International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Bellona/Anua Airport), and is located 12,103 miles (19,477 kilometers) away in Anua, Bellona Island, Solomon Islands.

Facts about NAS Key West (NQX):

• Because of NAS Key West's relatively low elevation of 6 feet, planes can take off or land at NAS Key West 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.
• On January 18, 1918, the first class of student aviators arrived for seaplane training, which launched the station's reputation as a premier training site for Naval Aviators, a reputation which continues today.
• The closest airport to NAS Key West (NQX) is Key West International Airport (EYW), which is located only 5 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of NQX.
• On 5 October 2001, Naval Air Station Key West was temporarily downgraded and redesignated as Naval Air Facility Key West, but on 1 April 2003, the air facility was upgraded and restored back to full air station status as Naval Air Station Key West.
• After World War II ended, NAS Key West was retained as a training facility.
• The seaplane base was designated as a Naval Air Station Key West on 15 December 1940 and served as an operating and training base for fleet aircraft squadrons, to include seaplane, land-based aircraft, carrier-based aircraft and lighter-than-air blimp squadrons.
• In 1946, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 was established at NAS Key West and for the next three decades conducted airborne antisubmarine warfare systems evaluation out of Boca Chica, while Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 1 conducted Atlantic Fleet helicopter fleet replacement training in the SH-3 Sea King out of the former seaplane base at Trumbo Point.
• The furthest airport from NAS Key West (NQX) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,575 miles (18,629 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "NAS Key West", other names for NQX include "Naval Air Station Key West" and "NQX[1]".
• Naval Air Base Key West pilots flew in search of German submarines resting on the surface to recharge batteries.
• The air station is also host to several tenant commands, including Fighter Squadron Composite 111, Strike Fighter Squadron 106 Detachment Key West, the U.S.
• NAS Key West (NQX) has 3 runways.
• During World War I the base was expanded again, and in 1917, a U.S.