Nonstop flight route between Arlit, Niger and Spokane, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Arlit Airport (RLT), Arlit, Niger and Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA), Spokane, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,728 miles (or 10,827 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 Arlit Airport and Fairchild 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 Arlit Airport and Fairchild 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 Arlit Airport (RLT):

• The closest airport to Arlit Airport (RLT) is In Guezzam Airport (INF), which is located 118 miles (190 kilometers) WNW of RLT.
• The furthest airport from Arlit Airport (RLT) is Lifuka Island Airport (HPA), which is nearly antipodal to Arlit Airport (meaning Arlit Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Lifuka Island Airport), and is located 12,307 miles (19,805 kilometers) away in Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga.

Facts about Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA):

• In addition to being known as "Fairchild Air Force Base", another name for SKA is "Fairchild AFB".
• As military operations in Vietnam escalated in the mid-1960s, the demand for air refueling increased.
• The closest airport to Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Spokane International Airport (GEG), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) E of SKA.
• In late 1974, the Air Force announced plans to convert the 141st Fighter Interceptor Group of the Washington Air National Guard, an F-101 Voodoo unit at Geiger Field, to an air refueling mission with KC-135 aircraft.
• Since 1942, Fairchild Air Force Base/Station has been a key part of the United States' defense strategy—from World War II repair depot, to Strategic Air Command bomber wing during the Cold War, to Air Mobility Command air refueling wing during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
• In 1956 the wing began a conversion that brought the B-52 Stratofortress to Fairchild, followed by the KC-135 Stratotanker in 1958.
• On 1 July 1994, the 92d Bomb Wing was re-designated the 92d Air Refueling Wing, and Fairchild AFB was transferred from ACC to Air Mobility Command in a ceremony marking the creation of the largest air refueling wing in the Air Force.
• The furthest airport from Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,665 miles (17,163 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.