Nonstop flight route between Xi'an, Shaanxi, China and Braintree, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA), Xi'an, Shaanxi, China and MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF), Braintree, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,085 miles (or 8,183 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 Xi'an Xiguan Airport and MDPGA Wethersfield, 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 Xi'an Xiguan Airport and MDPGA Wethersfield. 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 Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA):

• Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Xi'an Xiguan Airport", other names for SIA include "西安西关机场" and "Xī'ān Xīguān Jīchǎng".
• The furthest airport from Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA) is La Unión Airport (LUI), which is nearly antipodal to Xi'an Xiguan Airport (meaning Xi'an Xiguan Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from La Unión Airport), and is located 12,392 miles (19,943 kilometers) away in La Unión, Honduras[disambiguation needed].
• The closest airport to Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA) is Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY), which is located 22 miles (35 kilometers) WNW of SIA.

Facts about MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF):

• In addition to being known as "MDPGA Wethersfield", another name for WXF is "RAF Wethersfield".
• In June 1955 the 20th FBW started receiving the F-84F "Thunderstreak" in addition to its F-84Ds and F-84Gs.
• In 1951, as a result of the Cold War threat of the Soviet Union, the British provided RAF Wethersfield to the USAF as part of their NATO commitment.
• Because of MDPGA Wethersfield's relatively low elevation of 322 feet, planes can take off or land at MDPGA Wethersfield 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 1978 the British and American Governments agreed to establish a Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers unit in the UK.
• MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) is London Stansted Airport (STN), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) WSW of WXF.
• Formerly known as RAF Wethersfield, it opened in 1944.
• All three wartime-era runways and connecting taxiways, as well as many wartime loop-type dispersal hardstands, remain in good condition.
• The 416th Bombardment Group arrived at Wethersfield from Laurel Army Airfield, Mississippi, on 1 February 1944, flying the twin-engine Douglas A-20G "Havoc" aircraft.
• The furthest airport from MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,856 miles (19,080 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• As the American involvement in the Vietnam War wound down, the role of RED HORSE units in peacetime came into question.