Nonstop flight route between Castries, Saint Lucia and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU), Castries, Saint Lucia and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,081 miles (or 6,568 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 George F. L. Charles Airport and MoD St Athan, 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 George F. L. Charles Airport and MoD St Athan. 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 George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU):

• The airport houses the George Charles Outstation of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority., General Aviation Services, and the Island Flyers Club.
• The closest airport to George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU) is Hewanorra International Airport (UVF), which is located 20 miles (32 kilometers) S of SLU.
• The furthest airport from George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU) is Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (WGP), which is nearly antipodal to George F. L. Charles Airport (meaning George F. L. Charles Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport), and is located 12,124 miles (19,511 kilometers) away in Waingapu, Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
• Because of George F. L. Charles Airport's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at George F. L. Charles 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.
• George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport offers an RNAV, and NDB approach for only runway 9, landings on runway 27 are strictly visual.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• The training to be carried out at St Athan was to be specialist phase 2 and phase 3 engineering courses of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from MoD St Athan (DGX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The only squadrons to operate out of St Athan on a regular basis are the University of Wales Air Squadron, flying Grob Tutors and No 634 Volunteer Gliding Squadron using Vigilant T.1s.
• The two cadet passengers were cousins and were named as Katie Jo Davies, 15, and Nikitta Walters, 14.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• Because of MoD St Athan's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at MoD St Athan 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 2006, the Special Forces Support Group was raised at St Athan and the Welsh Guards returned to London.
• St Athan also became the major RAF maintenance base for Vulcan, Victor, Buccaner, Phantom, Harrier, Tornado, Jaguar, Hawk and VC10 aircraft, originally under direct RAF control, but latterly under the auspices of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency.