Nonstop flight route between Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT), Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,549 miles (or 5,711 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 Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) and MoD St Athan, 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 Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) and MoD St Athan. 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 Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT):

• The closest airport to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT) is Dibba Airport (BYB), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) E of RKT.
• In addition to being known as "Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah)", another name for RKT is "مطار رأس الخيمة الدولي".
• In 1976, the airport was inaugurated by the long-time ruler, Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammad Al Qassimi.
• Ras Al Khaimah International Airport is located in the Persian Gulf sheikhdom of Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates 11 nautical miles south of the town of the same name.
• Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT) currently has only 1 runway.
• Among the users of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport was the Russian Victor Bout, convicted by a US court of arms trafficking in 2012.
• The airport reported a 58.5 percent growth in the first quarter of 2012 compared with the same period of the previous year.
• The furthest airport from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) (RKT) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,734 miles (18,883 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Because of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah)'s relatively low elevation of 94 feet, planes can take off or land at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport(Ra's al-Khaymah) 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.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• Because of MoD St Athan's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at MoD St Athan 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 2006, the Special Forces Support Group was raised at St Athan and the Welsh Guards returned to London.
• The furthest airport from MoD St Athan (DGX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• The last aircraft to be serviced at St Athan, a Vickers VC10, departed the site on 23 February 2012.
• During the war a dummy airfield was built using wood and cardboard a few miles west of the original airfield and successful efforts were made to hide the proper field.
• The MOD continued to negotiate the project with the Metrix Consortium, but the price rose several times, reaching £14 billion in mid-2009.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.