Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and De Ridder, Louisiana, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Beauregard Regional AirportDeRidder Army Air Base (DRI), De Ridder, Louisiana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 371 miles (or 597 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 relatively short distance between Sheppard Air Force Base and Beauregard Regional AirportDeRidder Army Air Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS):

• Sheppard Field reached its peak strength of 46,340 people while serving as a separation center for troops being discharged following World War II from September through November 1945.
• The host unit on Sheppard Air Force Base is the 82nd Training Wing whose mission makes it the most diversified training base within the Air Education and Training Command.
• 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 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 closest airport to Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS) is Kickapoo Downtown Airport (KIP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) S of SPS.
• In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
• Over the next three decades three training schools were stationed at the base training students in aircraft maintenance, transportation, communication, civil engineering, Aircrew Life Support and field training.
• In February 1992, restructuring and downsizing of the Air Force caused a realignment and renumbering of units at Sheppard.
• Sheppard AFB shares one runway with Wichita Falls Municipal Airport under a joint civil-military arrangement.
• 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.

Facts about Beauregard Regional AirportDeRidder Army Air Base (DRI):

• Initial training was performed by the III Reconnaissance Command, for reconnaissance and observation units.
• The Beauregard Parish Police Jury assumed responsibility for the airport that year.
• Because of Beauregard Regional AirportDeRidder Army Air Base's relatively low elevation of 202 feet, planes can take off or land at Beauregard Regional AirportDeRidder Army Air Base 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.
• Interest in the military utilization of the airfield increased significantly in 1939 when war began in Europe.
• The present Beauregard Regional Airport has a long and colorful history, which began prior to its use as an airfield.
• The furthest airport from Beauregard Regional AirportDeRidder Army Air Base (DRI) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,994 miles (17,693 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Just before Christmas 1941, the first troops arrived at the DeRidder Army Air Base.
• Beauregard Regional AirportDeRidder Army Air Base (DRI) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Beauregard Regional AirportDeRidder Army Air Base (DRI) is Chennault International Airport (CWF), which is located 44 miles (72 kilometers) SSE of DRI.