Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from SPS to TCL:
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- About this route
- SPS Airport Information
- TCL Airport Information
- Facts about SPS
- Facts about TCL
- 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 TCL
- List of Nearest Airports to TCL
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- List of Furthest Airports from TCL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Tuscaloosa Regional AirportVan De Graaff Field (TCL), Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 628 miles (or 1,011 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 Tuscaloosa Regional AirportVan De Graaff Field, 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: | TCL / KTCL |
Airport Name: | Tuscaloosa Regional AirportVan De Graaff Field |
Location: | Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°13'14"N by 87°36'41"W |
Area Served: | Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
Operator/Owner: | City of Tuscaloosa |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 170 feet (52 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from TCL |
More Information: | TCL Maps & Info |
Facts about Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS):
- In addition to being known as "Sheppard Air Force Base", another name for SPS is "Sheppard AFB".
- 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 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 3630th Flying Training Wing also provided undergraduate pilot training for pilots of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force from 1971 to 1975.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Tuscaloosa Regional AirportVan De Graaff Field (TCL):
- Runway 11/29 was paved in the early 1950s.
- Jet charters continue to periodically operate at Tuscaloosa, but sustained commercial air service has eluded Tuscaloosa Regional to date.
- Because of Tuscaloosa Regional AirportVan De Graaff Field's relatively low elevation of 170 feet, planes can take off or land at Tuscaloosa Regional AirportVan De Graaff Field 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.
- Tuscaloosa Regional AirportVan De Graaff Field (TCL) has 2 runways.
- Atlantic Southeast Airlines provided daily service between Tuscaloosa and Atlanta between 1982 and June 1992.GP Express Airlines would continue service to Atlanta from June 6, 1992, through the elimination of the EAS subsidy for its operation on June 30, 1994.
- The furthest airport from Tuscaloosa Regional AirportVan De Graaff Field (TCL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,131 miles (17,914 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The Civil Aeronautics Administration designated van de Graff Field as an intermediate field.
- The closest airport to Tuscaloosa Regional AirportVan De Graaff Field (TCL) is George Downer Airport (AIV), which is located 35 miles (56 kilometers) WSW of TCL.
- In 1939 Oliver Parks was brought to Alabama to set up a Civilian Pilot Training Program, CPTP, for the University of Alabama.