Nonstop flight route between Samos Island, Greece and Big Spring, Texas, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SMI to BGS:
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- About this route
- SMI Airport Information
- BGS Airport Information
- Facts about SMI
- Facts about BGS
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMI
- List of Nearest Airports to SMI
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMI
- List of Furthest Airports from SMI
- Map of Nearest Airports to BGS
- List of Nearest Airports to BGS
- Map of Furthest Airports from BGS
- List of Furthest Airports from BGS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos" (SMI), Samos Island, Greece and Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS), Big Spring, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,576 miles (or 10,583 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 Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos" and Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield, 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 Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos" and Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMI / LGSM |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Samos Island, Greece |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°41'23"N by 26°54'42"E |
| Area Served: | Vathy |
| Elevation: | 19 feet (6 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SMI |
| More Information: | SMI Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BGS / |
| Airport Name: | Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield |
| Location: | Big Spring, Texas, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 32°13'5"N by 101°31'17"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from BGS |
| More Information: | BGS Maps & Info |
Facts about Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos" (SMI):
- On 3 August 1989, Olympic Aviation Flight 545 crashed into Mount Kerkis while on approach to Samos Airport.
- The closest airport to Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos" (SMI) is Ikaria Island National Airport (JIK), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) W of SMI.
- Because of Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos"'s relatively low elevation of 19 feet, planes can take off or land at Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos" 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.
- Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos" (SMI) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos" (SMI) is Rurutu Airport (RUR), which is located 11,378 miles (18,310 kilometers) away in Rurutu, French Polynesia.
- In addition to being known as "Samos International Airport "Aristarchos of Samos"", another name for SMI is "Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Σάμου "Αρίσταρχος ο Σάμιος»".
- During the late 1990s/early 2000s, the terminal was renovated – the capacity of the airport was increased to deal with increasing passenger numbers and the terminal was renovated.
Facts about Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS):
- In 1956, the Air Defense Command 331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was transferred to Webb from Stewart Air Force Base in New York to defend the southern United States border on air intercept missions as part of the Central Air Defense Force.
- Webb Air Force Base, previously named Big Spring Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force facility of the Air Training Command that operated from 1951 to 1977 in west Texas within the current city limits of Big Spring.
- Activated on 26 June 1942, the mission of Big Spring AAF was to train aviation cadets in high altitude precision bombing as bombardiers.
- The closest airport to Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS) is Midland Airpark (MDD), which is located 36 miles (58 kilometers) WSW of BGS.
- The airfield and flight line was converted to an uncontrolled/UNICOM-only general aviation airport renamed Big Spring McMahon-Wrinkle Airport, serving the City of Big Spring.
- Instruction of the first class began in April 1952.
- The furthest airport from Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,166 miles (17,969 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- By the mid-1970s, the end of the Vietnam War, the associated financial costs of that conflict and related cuts in USAF force structure and future defense budgets meant a marked decrease in the need for Air Force pilots.
