Nonstop flight route between Spangdahlem, Germany and Payson, Arizona, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM), Spangdahlem, Germany and Payson Airport (PJB), Payson, Arizona, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,497 miles (or 8,847 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 Spangdahlem Air Base and Payson Airport, 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 Spangdahlem Air Base and Payson Airport. 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 Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM):

• In 1957 the RB-57s and RF-84s were transferred to Chateauroux-Deols Air Depot and the 1st and 38th were re-equipped with the Douglas RB-66 Destroyer.
• Spangdahlem is home of the 52d Fighter Wing, which maintains, deploys and employs Lockheed Martin Block 50 F-16CJ.
• The 52 TFW gained its third fighter squadron with the activation of the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 15 November 1976.
• In addition to being known as "Spangdahlem Air Base", another name for SPM is "Spangdahlem AB".
• The closest airport to Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM) is Bitburg Airport (BBJ), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) WSW of SPM.
• In addition, Air Mobility Command supports cargo and passenger traffic as part of its airlift mission.
• The 49 TFW remained at Spangdahlem AB until 1 July 1968 when it relocated to Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, to serve as the US Air Force’s first dual-based, NATO-committed wing.
• The furthest airport from Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,986 miles (19,289 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The 19th TRS operated from RAF Sculthorpe united Kingdom during 1958, moving to Spangdahlem in 1959.
• The 49th TFW flew F-100s until 1961 when it converted to the Republic F-105D/F Thunderchief, commonly known as the "Thud".

Facts about Payson Airport (PJB):

• In addition to being known as "Payson Airport", another name for PJB is "PAN".
• For the period ending 27, April 2011, the airport had 41,245 operations at an average of 113 a day.
• The closest airport to Payson Airport (PJB) is Sedona Airport (SDX), which is located 48 miles (78 kilometers) NNW of PJB.
• The furthest airport from Payson Airport (PJB) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,384 miles (18,320 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Payson Airport (PJB) currently has only 1 runway.
• There are 35 aircraft based on the field.
• Because of Payson Airport's high elevation of 5,157 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at PJB. Combined with a high temperature, this could make PJB a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.