Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Isiro, Democratic Republic of the Congo:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SPS to IRP:
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- About this route
- SPS Airport Information
- IRP Airport Information
- Facts about SPS
- Facts about IRP
- 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 IRP
- List of Nearest Airports to IRP
- Map of Furthest Airports from IRP
- List of Furthest Airports from IRP
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Matari Airport (IRP), Isiro, Democratic Republic of the Congo would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,111 miles (or 13,054 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 Matari 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 Matari 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: | IRP / FZJH |
| Airport Name: | Matari Airport |
| Location: | Isiro, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| GPS Coordinates: | 2°49'39"N by 27°35'17"E |
| Area Served: | Isiro |
| Operator/Owner: | Government |
| Airport Type: | Civil |
| Elevation: | 2438 feet (743 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from IRP |
| More Information: | IRP Maps & Info |
Facts about Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS):
- Helicopter pilot training was transferred from Stead AFB, Nevada in October 1965, with H-19, H-43, Bell TH-1F, CH-3C and HH-3E helicopters used for training.
- The 80th Flying Training Wing began conducting the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program in 1981.
- Sheppard Air Force Base is named in honor of Senator John Morris Sheppard of Texas, chairman of the Senate Military Affairs Committee from 1933 until his death on 9 April 1941.
- The 3950th Technical Training Wing was designated the Sheppard Technical Training Center 1 January 1959.
- 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.
- Control and accountability for Sheppard Field was transferred to the Department of the Air Force 1 August 1948 and was reactivated 15 August 1948 to supplement Lackland AFB, Texas, as a basic training center renamed as Sheppard AFB.
- 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 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.
- 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 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 Matari Airport (IRP):
- The furthest airport from Matari Airport (IRP) is Cassidy International Airport (CXI), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Kiribati.
- The closest airport to Matari Airport (IRP) is Buta Zega Airport (BZU), which is located 193 miles (310 kilometers) W of IRP.
- Matari Airport (IRP) currently has only 1 runway.
