Nonstop flight route between Stoelmans Eiland, Suriname and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (SMZ), Stoelmans Eiland, Suriname and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,367 miles (or 7,027 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 Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip 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 Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip 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 Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (SMZ):

• Because of Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip's relatively low elevation of 187 feet, planes can take off or land at Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip 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.
• The furthest airport from Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (SMZ) is Namrole Airport (NRE), which is nearly antipodal to Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (meaning Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Namrole Airport), and is located 12,353 miles (19,880 kilometers) away in Buru, Indonesia.
• The closest airport to Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (SMZ) is Drietabbetje Airstrip (DRJ), which is located 24 miles (38 kilometers) SW of SMZ.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• 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.
• In 2006, the Special Forces Support Group was raised at St Athan and the Welsh Guards returned to London.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• During the war a dummy airfield was built using wood and cardboard a few miles west of the original airfield and successful efforts were made to hide the proper field.
• 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.
• On 26 August 1993 an ATC civilian instructor was seriously injured and the RAF Volunteer Reserve pilot, Group Captain Roger Sweatman, was killed when their Chipmunk trainer, on an air experience flight, crashed after encountering difficulties during a simulated emergency low-height manoeuvre on take-off.
• RAF St Athan was also home for the Royal Air Force Administrative Apprentice Training School.
• The station officially opened as RAF St Athan on 1 September 1938 and the first unit to take up residence was No 4 School of Technical Training.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.