Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Rockford, Illinois, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from SPS to RFD:
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- About this route
- SPS Airport Information
- RFD Airport Information
- Facts about SPS
- Facts about RFD
- 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 RFD
- List of Nearest Airports to RFD
- Map of Furthest Airports from RFD
- List of Furthest Airports from RFD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), Rockford, Illinois, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 762 miles (or 1,227 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 Chicago Rockford International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | RFD / KRFD |
Airport Name: | Chicago Rockford International Airport |
Location: | Rockford, Illinois, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 42°11'43"N by 89°5'49"W |
Area Served: | Rockford, Illinois |
Operator/Owner: | Greater Rockford Airport Authority |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 742 feet (226 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from RFD |
More Information: | RFD Maps & Info |
Facts about Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS):
- Comptroller, transportation, and intelligence training moved to Sheppard from Lowry AFB, Colorado, in the fall of 1954.
- The 80th FTW mission is to provide combat airpower by producing top quality fighter pilots for the NATO alliance.
- In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD):
- The closest airport to Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (JVL), which is located 30 miles (47 kilometers) N of RFD.
- In an effort to capitalize on the airport's location from downtown Chicago and about 30 miles from the outermost Chicago suburbs), its name was changed to the Northwest Chicagoland Regional Airport at Rockford in the early 2000s.
- Today the Rockford airport is marketed to residents of Rockford and surrounding areas as an alternative to Chicago Midway International Airport and O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, WI and Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin as well as limited service airports such as Dubuque Regional Airport in Iowa.
- Because of Chicago Rockford International Airport's relatively low elevation of 742 feet, planes can take off or land at Chicago Rockford International 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.
- The furthest airport from Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,008 miles (17,716 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) has 2 runways.
- RFD was once the company headquarters for Ryan International Airlines, staging many of its aircraft at the airport for charter hire.
- The larger north cargo apron is next to the main terminal.