Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Central, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Central Airport (CEM), Central, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,885 miles (or 4,644 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 Central 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 Central 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):

• In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
• The 3630th Flying Training Wing also provided undergraduate pilot training for pilots of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force from 1971 to 1975.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• 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.
• It was officially opened as an Army Air Corps training center on 17 October 1941, following the arrival of the first military members on 14 June.

Facts about Central Airport (CEM):

• The closest airport to Central Airport (CEM) is Circle Hot Springs Airport (CHP), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) SE of CEM.
• Central Airport (CEM) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Central Airport", another name for CEM is "PACE".
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 47 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 13 enplanements in 2009, and 20 in 2010.
• Because of Central Airport's relatively low elevation of 937 feet, planes can take off or land at Central 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 furthest airport from Central Airport (CEM) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,218 miles (16,444 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.