Nonstop flight route between Cocle, Panama and Lompoc, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH), Cocle, Panama and Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG), Lompoc, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,139 miles (or 5,051 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport and Vandenberg Air Force Base, 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport and Vandenberg Air Force Base. 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH):

• 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 Airport, also known as Scarlett Martinez International Airport, is an airport and former Panamanian defense base in Río Hato, Coclé, Panama.
• In 2011 the government of Panama gave the order to proceed with a project to rebuild the airport.
• 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.
• 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.
• Río Hato was also the first combat target for the US Air Force F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter during Operation Just Cause.
• Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.

Facts about Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG):

• The closest airport to Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG) is Lompoc Airport (LPC), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SE of VBG.
• The furthest airport from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,479 miles (18,473 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
• 1st Air and Space Test Squadron
• As the war progressed, German and Italian prisoners of war were quartered at Camp Cooke.
• Vandenberg AFB is a Department of Defense space and missile testing base, with a mission of placing satellites into polar orbit from the West Coast, using expendable boosters.
• In addition to being known as "Vandenberg Air Force Base", another name for VBG is "Vandenberg AFB".
• With the establishment of a separate Air Force in September 1947, Vandenberg became its first vice chief of staff under General Carl Spaatz, and succeeded him on 30 April 1948.
• The host unit at Vandenberg AFB is the 30th Space Wing.
• 576th Flight Test Squadron