Nonstop flight route between Cocle, Panama and Alexandria, Louisiana, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from RIH to ESF:
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- About this route
- RIH Airport Information
- ESF Airport Information
- Facts about RIH
- Facts about ESF
- Map of Nearest Airports to RIH
- List of Nearest Airports to RIH
- Map of Furthest Airports from RIH
- List of Furthest Airports from RIH
- Map of Nearest Airports to ESF
- List of Nearest Airports to ESF
- Map of Furthest Airports from ESF
- List of Furthest Airports from ESF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH), Cocle, Panama and Esler Field (ESF), Alexandria, Louisiana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,773 miles (or 2,853 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 relatively short distance between Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport and Esler Field, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | RIH / MPSM |
Airport Name: | Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport |
Location: | Cocle, Panama |
GPS Coordinates: | 8°22'32"N by 80°7'40"W |
Area Served: | Rio Hato, Coclé, Panama |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 105 feet (32 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from RIH |
More Information: | RIH Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | ESF / KESF |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Alexandria, Louisiana, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 31°23'41"N by 92°17'44"W |
Area Served: | Central Louisiana |
Airport Type: | Public / Military |
Elevation: | 112 feet (34 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from ESF |
More Information: | ESF Maps & Info |
Facts about Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH):
- Because of Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport's relatively low elevation of 105 feet, planes can take off or land at Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez 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.
- Established in 1931, during World War II Río Hato Army Air Base was used by the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force as part of the defense of the Panama Canal.
- Río Hato was also the first combat target for the US Air Force F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter during Operation Just Cause.
- The furthest airport from Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (meaning Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,102 miles (19,476 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- The closest airport to Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) is Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport (PAC), which is located 57 miles (91 kilometers) NE of RIH.
- Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) currently has only 1 runway.
- During Operation Just Cause, The United States Army 2d and 3d Battalions, 75th Ranger Regiment, departed Lawson Army Airfield, Fort Benning, Georgia, at 18:00 on 19 December 1989.
Facts about Esler Field (ESF):
- Esler Field (ESF) has 2 runways.
- In the 1970s, the airport had scheduled passenger airline service provided by several air carriers including Delta Air Lines which operated mainline jet aircraft from Esler.
- The furthest airport from Esler Field (ESF) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,988 miles (17,683 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- The closest airport to Esler Field (ESF) is Alexandria International Airport (AEX), which is located only 16 miles (25 kilometers) WSW of ESF.
- After World War I in 1919 the Army had abandoned Camp Beauregard and turned the property over to the state of Louisiana, which returned it to the United States, however interest in the military utilization of Camp Beauregard increased significantly in 1939 when war began in Europe.
- Because of Esler Field's relatively low elevation of 112 feet, planes can take off or land at Esler Field 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 1 August 1945, the airfield was again reassigned directly to Third Air Force.
- In late 1943, Esler was again reassigned within Third Air Force, to the I Tactical Air Division, to become a close air support training field.
- About 60 percent of the airport's operations are military and the rest are civilian.
- In addition to being known as "Esler Field", another name for ESF is "Esler Regional AirportEsler Army Airfield".