Nonstop flight route between Spearfish, South Dakota, United States and Fort Knox, Kentucky, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Black Hills Airport (SPF), Spearfish, South Dakota, United States and Godman Army Airfield (FTK), Fort Knox, Kentucky, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,028 miles (or 1,655 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 relatively short distance between Black Hills Airport and Godman Army Airfield, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Black Hills Airport (SPF):

• The closest airport to Black Hills Airport (SPF) is Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), which is located 42 miles (67 kilometers) ESE of SPF.
• In addition to being known as "Black Hills Airport", another name for SPF is "Clyde Ice Field".
• Black Hills Airport (SPF) has 4 runways.
• The furthest airport from Black Hills Airport (SPF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,576 miles (17,020 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Godman Army Airfield (FTK):

• At the time a flight of four P-51 fighters was on a routine training flight under the supervision of Flight Commander Captain Thomas Mantell.
• In addition to the Kentucky ANG, the New Jersey ANG's 108th Fighter-Bomber Wing was federalized and brought into active service on 1 March 1951, was assigned to Strategic Air Command's 40th Air Division at Turner AFB, Georgia.
• The Thomas Mantell incident began at 1:20pm on 7 January 1948, when the control tower operators at Godman Army Airfield, Kentucky sighted an unidentified airborne object in the sky close to the base.
• The closest airport to Godman Army Airfield (FTK) is Addington Field (EKX), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) S of FTK.
• Godman Army Airfield was established about October 1918 for the 29th Aero Squadron for World War I at then Camp Knox United States Army Air Corps.
• Because of Godman Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 756 feet, planes can take off or land at Godman Army Airfield 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 Godman Army Airfield (FTK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,229 miles (18,071 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In 1946, Godman was reassigned to the Tenth Air Force as part of the Air Force Reserve.
• Godman Army Airfield (FTK) has 4 runways.
• The official Air Technical Information Command report on the crash stated that they were of the opinion that Captain Mantell lost consciousness due to oxygen starvation.