Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Dessie / Kombolcha, Ethiopia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Combolcha Airport (DSE), Dessie / Kombolcha, Ethiopia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,287 miles (or 13,337 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 Combolcha 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 Combolcha 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):

• 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 closest airport to Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS) is Kickapoo Downtown Airport (KIP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) S of SPS.
• Additionally, officers from all 13 participating nations fill subordinate leadership positions throughout the wing.
• 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.
• Sheppard AFB began providing top-notch instruction in a diverse array of Air Force specialties during World War II.
• Comptroller, transportation, and intelligence training moved to Sheppard from Lowry AFB, Colorado, in the fall of 1954.
• Between 1960 and 1966 the Strategic Air Command had training units stationed at the base that conducted aerospace rescue schools and weather instruction.
• In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".

Facts about Combolcha Airport (DSE):

• Scheduled passenger services to the airport have ceased.
• The closest airport to Combolcha Airport (DSE) is Mekane Selam Airport (MKS), which is located 70 miles (113 kilometers) WSW of DSE.
• The furthest airport from Combolcha Airport (DSE) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is nearly antipodal to Combolcha Airport (meaning Combolcha Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Atuona Airport), and is located 12,311 miles (19,813 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.
• Combolcha Airport is an airport located between the cities of Dessie and Kombolcha in north-central Ethiopia.
• On 7 October 1981, Douglas C-47A ET-AHR of Ethiopian Airlines was damaged beyond repair when the undercarriage collapsed on landing.
• Because of Combolcha Airport's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Combolcha 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.