Nonstop flight route between Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Uden, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sheppard Air Force Base (SPS), Wichita Falls, Texas, United States and Volkel Air Base (UDE), Uden, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,961 miles (or 7,983 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 Volkel Air Base, 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 Volkel Air Base. 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):

• 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.
• 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".
• The host unit on Sheppard Air Force Base is the 82nd Training Wing whose mission makes it the most diversified training base within the Air Education and Training Command.
• 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 July 1969, Detachment 1, 2nd Bombardment Wing, with four B-52 aircraft, became a tenant organization at Sheppard and remained until 1975.
• 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.

Facts about Volkel Air Base (UDE):

• Volkel Air Base (UDE) has 2 runways.
• It was believed that since the early 1960s, USAF nuclear weapons were stored at Volkel Air Base, to be used by the host nation's aircraft.
• In addition to being known as "Volkel Air Base", other names for UDE include "Vliegbasis Volkel" and "(Advanced Landing Ground B-80)".
• Because of Volkel Air Base's relatively low elevation of 72 feet, planes can take off or land at Volkel Air Base 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.
• Volkel Air Base is one of several military airfields in the Netherlands, and one of the three major operational bases of the RNLAF, the other two being Leeuwarden Air Base and Gilze-Rijen Air Base.
• The closest airport to Volkel Air Base (UDE) is Weeze Airport (NRN), which is located only 20 miles (32 kilometers) E of UDE.
• The furthest airport from Volkel Air Base (UDE) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,886 miles (19,128 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The Dutch Naval Aviation Service started flying from Volkel in 1949 for training purposes.