Nonstop flight route between Spokane, Washington, United States and Rabaul, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SKA to RAB:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- SKA Airport Information
- RAB Airport Information
- Facts about SKA
- Facts about RAB
- Map of Nearest Airports to SKA
- List of Nearest Airports to SKA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SKA
- List of Furthest Airports from SKA
- Map of Nearest Airports to RAB
- List of Nearest Airports to RAB
- Map of Furthest Airports from RAB
- List of Furthest Airports from RAB
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA), Spokane, Washington, United States and Rabaul Airport (RAB), Rabaul, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,438 miles (or 10,361 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 Rabaul 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 Rabaul Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SKA / KSKA |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Spokane, Washington, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 47°36'54"N by 117°39'20"W |
View all routes: | Routes from SKA |
More Information: | SKA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | RAB / AYTK |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Rabaul, Papua New Guinea |
GPS Coordinates: | 4°20'25"S by 152°22'45"E |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 32 feet (10 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from RAB |
More Information: | RAB Maps & Info |
Facts about Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA):
- In addition to being known as "Fairchild Air Force Base", another name for SKA is "Fairchild AFB".
- Following the destruction of the World Trade Center, the wing began providing around-the-clock air refueling of Combat Air Patrol fighter aircraft and initiated 24-hour ground alert operations in support of Operation Noble Eagle.
- In 1956 the wing began a conversion that brought the B-52 Stratofortress to Fairchild, followed by the KC-135 Stratotanker in 1958.
- 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.
- Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, a total of 560 base personnel deployed to Desert Shield and Desert Storm from August 1990 to March 1991.
- Fairchild is home to a wide variety of units and missions.
- 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.
- On 15 March 1966, the 336th Combat Crew Training Group was established at Fairchild.
Facts about Rabaul Airport (RAB):
- Prior to the 1994 volcanic eruption that destroyed the town of Rabaul, the airport was located at the foot of Tavurvur volcano, near Matupit island.
- Rabaul Airport (RAB) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Rabaul Airport (RAB) is Namatanai Airport (ATN), which is located 47 miles (75 kilometers) N of RAB.
- The furthest airport from Rabaul Airport (RAB) is Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN), which is located 11,780 miles (18,959 kilometers) away in Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil.
- In addition to being known as "Rabaul Airport", another name for RAB is "Tokua Airport".
- Because of Rabaul Airport's relatively low elevation of 32 feet, planes can take off or land at Rabaul 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.