Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Mauke Island, Cook Islands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (MUK), Mauke Island, Cook Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,380 miles (or 8,658 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 Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke 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 Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke 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):

• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In February 1992, restructuring and downsizing of the Air Force caused a realignment and renumbering of units at Sheppard.
• 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.
• Sheppard AFB began providing top-notch instruction in a diverse array of Air Force specialties during World War II.
• 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.
• 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 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.

Facts about Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (MUK):

• The closest airport to Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (MUK) is Mitiaro Island Airport (MOI), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) NW of MUK.
• The furthest airport from Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (MUK) is Faya-Largeau Airport (FYT), which is nearly antipodal to Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (meaning Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Faya-Largeau Airport), and is located 12,159 miles (19,568 kilometers) away in Faya-Largeau, Chad.
• Because of Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport)'s relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke 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.