Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Barter Island, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SPS to BTI:
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- About this route
- SPS Airport Information
- BTI Airport Information
- Facts about SPS
- Facts about BTI
- 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 BTI
- List of Nearest Airports to BTI
- Map of Furthest Airports from BTI
- List of Furthest Airports from BTI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Barter Island LRRS Airport (BTI), Barter Island, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,010 miles (or 4,843 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 Barter Island LRRS 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 Barter Island LRRS Airport. 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: | BTI / PABA |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Barter Island, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 70°8'2"N by 143°34'54"W |
| Operator/Owner: | North Slope Borough |
| Airport Type: | Public / Military |
| Elevation: | 2 feet (1 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BTI |
| More Information: | BTI Maps & Info |
Facts about Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS):
- 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.
- Sheppard Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located five miles north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, in Wichita County, Texas, United States.
- As of September 2013, Brigadier General Scott Kindsvater is the commander of the 82d Training Wing, and he concurrently serves as the installation commander of Sheppard AFB.
- 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.
- 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.
- The 80th Flying Training Wing, also at Sheppard, conducts the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program, a multi-nationally manned and managed flying training program chartered to produce combat pilots for both USAF and NATO.
- Sheppard AFB began providing top-notch instruction in a diverse array of Air Force specialties during World War II.
- The 80th FTW mission is to provide combat airpower by producing top quality fighter pilots for the NATO alliance.
- In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
- The 3630th Flying Training Wing was activated in 1965, and it assumed the helicopter training program.
Facts about Barter Island LRRS Airport (BTI):
- Barter Island LRRS Airport (BTI) currently has only 1 runway.
- Barter Island LRRS Airport has one runway designed 7/25 with a gravel surface measuring 4,820 by 100 feet.
- Because of Barter Island LRRS Airport's relatively low elevation of 2 feet, planes can take off or land at Barter Island LRRS 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.
- In addition to being known as "Barter Island LRRS Airport", another name for BTI is "Barter Island LRRS BAR-MAIN".
- The closest airport to Barter Island LRRS Airport (BTI) is Deadhorse Airport (SCC), which is located 115 miles (184 kilometers) W of BTI.
- The furthest airport from Barter Island LRRS Airport (BTI) is Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport (TNM), which is located 10,003 miles (16,099 kilometers) away in Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica.
- The airport remains open to support the small settlement at Kaktovik and to provide contractor support access to the military radar site.
- With the signing of the North American Air Defence Modernization agreement at the "Shamrock Summit" between Prime Minister Mulroney and President Reagan in Quebec City on 18 March 1985, the DEW Line began its eventual upgrading and transition becoming the North Warning System of today.
