Nonstop flight route between Springfield, Illinois, United States and St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI), Springfield, Illinois, United States and RAF Leuchars (ADX), St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,879 miles (or 6,243 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 Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport and RAF Leuchars, 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 Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport and RAF Leuchars. 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 Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI):

• The 183 FW was directed to divest itself of its fighter aircraft pursuant to a Base Realignment and Closure 2005 decision, and in October 2008, the last of the 170th Fighter Squadron's fifteen F-16C/D Fighting Falcon aircraft departed Capital Airport AGS for redistribution to other Air National Guard fighter wings.
• The furthest airport from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,013 miles (17,724 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) is Decatur Airport (DEC), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) E of SPI.
• Because of Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport's relatively low elevation of 598 feet, planes can take off or land at Abraham Lincoln Capital 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.
• The airport covers 2,300 acres at an elevation of 598 feet.

Facts about RAF Leuchars (ADX):

• As the Navy embraced the value of aviation, the aircraft carrier was added to its inventory.
• RAF Leuchars is commanded by an Air Commodore instead of a Group Captain who would usually be given command of a station.
• Like so many RAF stations, the airfield itself owes its existence to the stimulus of war, and work began on levelling the existing site on Reres Farm in 1916.
• Royal Air Force station Leuchars or more simply RAF Leuchars is the second most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom.
• The furthest airport from RAF Leuchars (ADX) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,678 miles (18,793 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
• The next generation of jets to be stationed at Leuchars were the Hawker Hunter and the Gloster Javelin, with air-sea rescue services provided by Westland Whirlwind helicopters.
• In 1935 Leuchars became home to Number 1 Flying Training School and ranges for practice bombing were established in Tentsmuir Forest.
• The closest airport to RAF Leuchars (ADX) is Dundee Airport (DND), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) NW of ADX.
• The Phantoms of 43 Squadron and 111 Squadron were replaced by Tornado F3s during 1989-1990s.
• In 2015 the army will take over and The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards will move in along with a REME Battalion and a Provost Company.