Nonstop flight route between San Bernardino, California, United States and Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Norton Air Force Base (SBD), San Bernardino, California, United States and Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN), Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,071 miles (or 9,771 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 Norton Air Force Base and Governador Carlos Wilson Airport, 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 Norton Air Force Base and Governador Carlos Wilson Airport. 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 Norton Air Force Base (SBD):

• In 1950, Air Defense Command activated the 27th Air Division at Norton AFB, being assigned to the Western Air Defense Force.
• Norton AFB was closed as a result of Base Realignment and Closure action 1988 in 1994.
• In addition to being known as "Norton Air Force Base", another name for SBD is "Norton AFB".
• The closest airport to Norton Air Force Base (SBD) is San Bernardino International Airport (SBT), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) S of SBD.
• For the majority of its operational lifetime, Norton was a logistics depot and heavy-lift transport facility for a variety of military aircraft, equipment and supplies as part of Air Materiel/Air Force Logistics Command, then as part of Military Airlift/Air Mobility Command.
• The furthest airport from Norton Air Force Base (SBD) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,447 miles (18,423 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
• A change of mission in 1966 from Air Force Logistics Command to Military Airlift Command meant that Norton became one of six Military Airlift Command strategic-airlift bases, supporting US Army and Marine Corps' airlift requirements among other functions.
• The SAGE Direction Center closed in 1966 along with the other ADC facilities at Norton.
• The aviation facilities of the base were converted into San Bernardino International Airport, and 3 of the 4 stationed squadrons – C-141 Starlifter, C-21, and C-12 Huron aircraft – were moved to nearby March Air Force Base, while the remaining squadron – C-141 aircraft – was moved to McChord Air Force Base, Washington.

Facts about Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN):

• The closest airport to Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) is Augusto Severo International Airport (NAT), which is located 240 miles (387 kilometers) SW of FEN.
• The furthest airport from Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) is Chuuk International Airport (TKK), which is nearly antipodal to Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (meaning Governador Carlos Wilson Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chuuk International Airport), and is located 12,052 miles (19,395 kilometers) away in Weno, Federated States of Micronesia.
• Because of Governador Carlos Wilson Airport's relatively low elevation of 190 feet, planes can take off or land at Governador Carlos Wilson 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.
• Fernando de Noronha is the biggest island of the archipelago with the same name, located in Brazilian territorial waters, 545 km away from Recife and 360 km away from Natal.
• In addition to being known as "Governador Carlos Wilson Airport", another name for FEN is "Aeroporto Governador Carlos Wilson".
• Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport was transferred to the jurisdiction of the United States Navy on 5 September 1944.