Nonstop flight route between Valence, France and Port Elizabeth, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from VAF to PLZ:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- VAF Airport Information
- PLZ Airport Information
- Facts about VAF
- Facts about PLZ
- Map of Nearest Airports to VAF
- List of Nearest Airports to VAF
- Map of Furthest Airports from VAF
- List of Furthest Airports from VAF
- Map of Nearest Airports to PLZ
- List of Nearest Airports to PLZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from PLZ
- List of Furthest Airports from PLZ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF), Valence, France and Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), Port Elizabeth, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,603 miles (or 9,017 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport and Port Elizabeth International 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport and Port Elizabeth International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | VAF / LFLU |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Valence, France |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°54'56"N by 4°58'6"E |
| Area Served: | Valence, Drôme, France |
| Operator/Owner: | Department of Drôme |
| Airport Type: | Public / Military |
| Elevation: | 525 feet (160 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from VAF |
| More Information: | VAF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | PLZ / FAPE |
| Airport Name: | Port Elizabeth International Airport |
| Location: | Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 33°59'4"S by 25°36'37"E |
| Area Served: | Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 226 feet (69 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from PLZ |
| More Information: | PLZ Maps & Info |
Facts about Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF):
- Because of Valence - Chabeuil Airport's relatively low elevation of 525 feet, planes can take off or land at Valence - Chabeuil 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 closest airport to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Grenoble–Isère Airport (GNB), which is located 36 miles (57 kilometers) NNE of VAF.
- The Portez was a heavy twin-engined fighter.
- Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) has 3 runways.
- The airport's origin dates from the 1930s when the French Air Force established Valence-Chabeuil Air Base.
- In addition to being known as "Valence - Chabeuil Airport", other names for VAF include "Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) Y-23" and "Aéroport de Valence - Chabeuil".
- Used by the French Air Force base after the war, it was closed and today the airport is used for general aviation, with no commercial airline service.
- In 1945 the Armée de l'Air returned to its airfield and it returned to its prewar status as an active air base.
- The furthest airport from Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (meaning Valence - Chabeuil Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,333 miles (19,848 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
Facts about Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ):
- During World War II, the airfield was extended to accommodate 42 Air School for the Royal Air Force and 6 Squadron South African Air Force on the southern and eastern sides of the field.
- Because of Port Elizabeth International Airport's relatively low elevation of 226 feet, planes can take off or land at Port Elizabeth 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.
- 17 May 2004 - John Travolta landed his personal Qantas Boeing 707 at the airport directly from Mauritius as he was visiting a nearby private game reserve.
- Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) has 2 runways.
- There is also a branch of the South African Air Force Museum at the airport.
- The airport is located approximately two miles south of the city's central business district.
- The closest airport to Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 79 miles (127 kilometers) ENE of PLZ.
- The furthest airport from Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Princeville Airport (HPV), which is located 11,567 miles (18,615 kilometers) away in Hanalei, Hawaii, United States.
- Construction of the permanent terminal buildings, runways and an air traffic control building began in 1950.
