Nonstop flight route between Valence, France and Cocle, Panama:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF), Valence, France and Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH), Cocle, Panama would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,571 miles (or 8,966 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF):

• 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".
• The airport's origin dates from the 1930s when the French Air Force established Valence-Chabeuil 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.
• 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.
• Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) has 3 runways.
• After the forceful occupation of Vichy France in November 1942 as a result of Case Anton Wehrmacht units moved into the Valence area and the airport came under the control of the Luftwaffe.
• The closest airport to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Grenoble–Isère Airport (GNB), which is located 36 miles (57 kilometers) NNE of VAF.

Facts about Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH):

• Río Hato was also the first combat target for the US Air Force F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter during Operation Just Cause.
• The closest airport to Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) is Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport (PAC), which is located 57 miles (91 kilometers) NE of RIH.
• Established in 1931, during World War II Río Hato Army Air Base was used by the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force as part of the defense of the Panama Canal.
• The furthest airport from Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (meaning Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,102 miles (19,476 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport's relatively low elevation of 105 feet, planes can take off or land at Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez 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.