Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Big Mountain, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SPS to BMX:
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- About this route
- SPS Airport Information
- BMX Airport Information
- Facts about SPS
- Facts about BMX
- Map of Nearest Airports to SPS
- List of Nearest Airports to SPS
- Map of Furthest Airports from SPS
- List of Furthest Airports from SPS
- Map of Nearest Airports to BMX
- List of Nearest Airports to BMX
- Map of Furthest Airports from BMX
- List of Furthest Airports from BMX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Big Mountain Air Force Station (BMX), Big Mountain, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,079 miles (or 4,954 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 Big Mountain Air Force Station, 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 Big Mountain Air Force Station. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SPS / KSPS |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Wichita Falls, Texas, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°59'20"N by 98°29'30"W |
View all routes: | Routes from SPS |
More Information: | SPS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BMX / PABM |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Big Mountain, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 59°21'39"N by 155°15'32"W |
Operator/Owner: | U.S. Air Force |
Airport Type: | Military |
Elevation: | 663 feet (202 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from BMX |
More Information: | BMX Maps & Info |
Facts about Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS):
- The 80th FTW mission is to provide combat airpower by producing top quality fighter pilots for the NATO alliance.
- 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 February 1992, restructuring and downsizing of the Air Force caused a realignment and renumbering of units at Sheppard.
- The aircraft mechanics school was transferred to Sheppard from Keesler AFB, Mississippi in April 1949 to make room for expansion of electronic training at that base.
- In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Big Mountain Air Force Station (BMX):
- The closest airport to Big Mountain Air Force Station (BMX) is Kokhanok Airport (KNK), which is located only 17 miles (27 kilometers) ENE of BMX.
- Big Mountain Air Force Station (BMX) currently has only 1 runway.
- In addition to being known as "Big Mountain Air Force Station", another name for BMX is "37AK".
- The furthest airport from Big Mountain Air Force Station (BMX) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,683 miles (17,193 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- Because of Big Mountain Air Force Station's relatively low elevation of 663 feet, planes can take off or land at Big Mountain Air Force Station 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.