Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Frieda River, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Frieda River Airport (FAQ), Frieda River, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,077 miles (or 12,999 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 Frieda River 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 Frieda River 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 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.
• Additionally, officers from all 13 participating nations fill subordinate leadership positions throughout the wing.
• 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 3630th Flying Training Wing also provided undergraduate pilot training for pilots of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force from 1971 to 1975.
• Comptroller, transportation, and intelligence training moved to Sheppard from Lowry AFB, Colorado, in the fall of 1954.
• 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".
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Frieda River Airport (FAQ):

• Because of Frieda River Airport's relatively low elevation of 200 feet, planes can take off or land at Frieda River 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 "Frieda River Airport", another name for FAQ is "Frieda River".
• The closest airport to Frieda River Airport (FAQ) is Biangabip Airport (BPK), which is located 65 miles (105 kilometers) SSW of FAQ.
• The furthest airport from Frieda River Airport (FAQ) is Parnaíba–Prefeito Dr. João Silva Filho International Airport (PHB), which is located 11,859 miles (19,086 kilometers) away in Parnaiba, Piaui, Brazil.
• Frieda River Airport (FAQ) currently has only 1 runway.