Nonstop flight route between Spokane, Washington, United States and Semey, Kazakhstan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA), Spokane, Washington, United States and Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX), Semey, Kazakhstan would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,585 miles (or 8,988 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 Fairchild Air Force Base and Semipalatinsk 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 Fairchild Air Force Base and Semipalatinsk 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 Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA):

• As military operations in Vietnam escalated in the mid-1960s, the demand for air refueling increased.
• 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.
• 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.
• From 1942 until 1946, the base served as a repair depot for damaged aircraft returning from the Pacific Theater.
• On 24 June 1994 one of the few remaining B-52H aircraft at Fairchild crashed during a practice flight for an upcoming air show, killing all four crew members.
• In addition to being known as "Fairchild Air Force Base", another name for SKA is "Fairchild AFB".
• Over 5,100 active duty Air Force, Air National Guard, and tenant organization military and civilian employees work on Fairchild, making the base the largest employer in Eastern Washington.

Facts about Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX):

• Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Semipalatinsk Airport", another name for PLX is "Semey Airport".
• The closest airport to Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX) is Oskemen Airport (UKK), which is located 102 miles (165 kilometers) ESE of PLX.
• The furthest airport from Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX) is Teniente Julio Gallardo Airfield (PNT), which is located 11,256 miles (18,115 kilometers) away in Puerto Natales, Chile.
• Because of Semipalatinsk Airport's relatively low elevation of 761 feet, planes can take off or land at Semipalatinsk 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.