Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Biarritz, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ), Biarritz, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,964 miles (or 7,989 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 Sheppard Air Force Base and Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne 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 Sheppard Air Force Base and Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne 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 Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS):

• During World War II, then-Sheppard Field conducted basic training, and it also trained glider mechanics, technical and flying training instructors and B-29 Superfortress flight engineers.
• The furthest airport from Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,952 miles (17,626 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
• The host unit at Sheppard is the 82d Training Wing, which provides specialized technical training, medical, and field training for officers, Airmen, and civilians of all branches of the military, other DoD agencies, and foreign nationals.
• Comptroller, transportation, and intelligence training moved to Sheppard from Lowry AFB, Colorado, in the fall of 1954.
• In February 1992, restructuring and downsizing of the Air Force caused a realignment and renumbering of units at Sheppard.
• The closest airport to Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS) is Kickapoo Downtown Airport (KIP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) S of SPS.

Facts about Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ):

• The closest airport to Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ) is San Sebastián Airport (EAS), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) WSW of BIQ.
• In addition to being known as "Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport", another name for BIQ is "Aéroport de Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne".
• The furthest airport from Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ) is Hood Aerodrome (MRO), which is nearly antipodal to Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (meaning Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Hood Aerodrome), and is located 12,211 miles (19,652 kilometers) away in Masterton, New Zealand.
• Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport's relatively low elevation of 245 feet, planes can take off or land at Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne 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.