Nonstop flight route between Newburgh, New York, United States and Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Stewart International Airport (SWF), Newburgh, New York, United States and RAF Lakenheath (LKZ), Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,438 miles (or 5,533 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 Stewart International Airport and RAF Lakenheath, 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 Stewart International Airport and RAF Lakenheath. 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 Stewart International Airport (SWF):

• One local hunter, Ben Kissam, formed the Stewart Park and Reserve Coalition in 1987 to oppose efforts to develop the lands.
• The region's needs had changed.
• After the creation of the United States Air Force following World War II, the army airfield was converted to an air force base while still being used for training of cadets at West Point.
• Because of Stewart International Airport's relatively low elevation of 491 feet, planes can take off or land at Stewart 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 administration of Mario Cuomo tried several times to come up with a plan that would balance these interests, but failed.
• The closest airport to Stewart International Airport (SWF) is Orange County Airport (MGJ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) W of SWF.
• The furthest airport from Stewart International Airport (SWF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,712 miles (18,848 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In 1930 Thomas "Archie" Stewart, an early aviation enthusiast and descendant of prominent local dairy farmer Lachlan Stewart, convinced his uncle Samuel Stewart to donate "Stoney Lonesome", split between the towns of Newburgh and New Windsor, to the nearby city of Newburgh for use as an airport.
• In 1997 the state formally began, through the Empire State Development Corporation, the process of soliciting bids for a 99-year lease on the airport and, potentially, the adjacent undeveloped lands as well, whatever bidders wanted.
• Stewart International Airport (SWF) has 2 runways.

Facts about RAF Lakenheath (LKZ):

• The closest airport to RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is RAF Mildenhall (MHZ), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) SW of LKZ.
• In 1940, the Air Ministry selected Lakenheath as an alternative for RAF Mildenhall and used it as a decoy airfield.
• Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union in Europe began as early as 1946.
• On 1 May 1951, Lakenheath was transferred from USAFE to SAC, and placed under the 3909th Air Base Group.
• Control of RAF Lakenheath was allocated to Third Air Force at South Ruislip Air Station, which had command of SAC B-29 operations in England.
• The furthest airport from RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,827 miles (19,034 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.