Nonstop flight route between San Antonio, Texas, United States and Valenciennes, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF), San Antonio, Texas, United States and Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS), Valenciennes, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,169 miles (or 8,318 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 Stinson Municipal Airport and Valenciennes-Denain 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 Stinson Municipal Airport and Valenciennes-Denain 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 Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF):

• During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces as a training base.
• Because of Stinson Municipal Airport's relatively low elevation of 577 feet, planes can take off or land at Stinson Municipal 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.
• Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF) has 2 runways.
• Now serving as the reliever for San Antonio International, the airport currently has an FBO, two flight schools, police and state aviation units, a part 135 operator, two aerial photography outfits, helicopter tour company and helicopter flight school, and numerous general aviation aircraft.
• Stinson Municipal Airport covers an area of 360 acres at an elevation of 577 feet above mean sea level.
• The closest airport to Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF) is Lackland Air Force Base Joint Base San Antonio (SKF), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) WNW of SSF.
• Established in 1915 when the Stinson family initially leased the land from the City of San Antonio, Stinson Municipal Airport is the second oldest general aviation airport in continuous operation in the United States.
• The furthest airport from Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,120 miles (17,895 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In addition to being known as "Stinson Municipal Airport", another name for SSF is "Stinson Field".

Facts about Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS):

• The wartime air base is still evident with the 5500' concrete NE/SW runway remaining, complete with patched bomb craters and expansion joints allowing grass to grow between the concrete pads.
• The closest airport to Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Lille Airport (LIL), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) NW of XVS.
• In addition, a reconnaissance unit, Aufklärungsgruppe 12 was assigned to Denain in October 1940 with Henschel Hs 126 twin-seat light observation planes.
• Because of Valenciennes-Denain Airport's relatively low elevation of 177 feet, planes can take off or land at Valenciennes-Denain 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 Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,987 miles (19,291 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• After the construction of a military airfield at Denain, the airfield was reactivated by the Luftwaffe, stationing Jagdgeschwader 3, a day fighter-interceptor unit assigned to the "Defense of the Reich" campaign against the American Eighth Air Force heavy bombers attacking targets in Occupied Europe and Germany.
• Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Valenciennes-Denain Airport", another name for XVS is "(Advanced Landing Ground A-83/B-74)".
• In French control after the war, the airport sat abandoned for several years.
• After being used for a brief time as a storage depot for excess aircraft after the war ended by Air Technical Service Command, the Americans turned the airfield back over to French authorities on 25 June 1945.