Nonstop flight route between Vientiane, Laos and Spokane, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from VTE to SKA:
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- About this route
- VTE Airport Information
- SKA Airport Information
- Facts about VTE
- Facts about SKA
- Map of Nearest Airports to VTE
- List of Nearest Airports to VTE
- Map of Furthest Airports from VTE
- List of Furthest Airports from VTE
- Map of Nearest Airports to SKA
- List of Nearest Airports to SKA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SKA
- List of Furthest Airports from SKA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Wattay International Airport (VTE), Vientiane, Laos and Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA), Spokane, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,266 miles (or 11,693 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 Wattay International Airport and Fairchild Air Force 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 Wattay International Airport and Fairchild Air Force Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | VTE / VLVT |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Vientiane, Laos |
| GPS Coordinates: | 17°59'17"N by 102°33'47"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Military of Laos |
| Airport Type: | Military/Public/Civil Aviation Authority |
| Elevation: | 564 feet (172 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from VTE |
| More Information: | VTE Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SKA / KSKA |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Spokane, Washington, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 47°36'54"N by 117°39'20"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from SKA |
| More Information: | SKA Maps & Info |
Facts about Wattay International Airport (VTE):
- The furthest airport from Wattay International Airport (VTE) is Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC), which is nearly antipodal to Wattay International Airport (meaning Wattay International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maria Reiche Neuman Airport), and is located 12,165 miles (19,578 kilometers) away in Nazca, Ica Region, Peru.
- In addition to being known as "Wattay International Airport", other names for VTE include "ສະໜາມບິນສາກົນວັດໄຕ" and "สนามบินนานาชาติวัตไต".
- Wattay International Airport (VTE) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Wattay International Airport (VTE) is Udon Thani International Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี (UTH), which is located 44 miles (71 kilometers) SSE of VTE.
- Because of Wattay International Airport's relatively low elevation of 564 feet, planes can take off or land at Wattay 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.
- Wattay International Airport is one of the few international airports in Laos.
- Access to airport by taxi, car and tuk-tuk.
- The head office of the Department of Civil Aviation is on the airport property.
Facts about Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA):
- The 92d Air Refueling Wing is commanded by Colonel Brian M.
- The furthest airport from Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,665 miles (17,163 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, both groups deployed to Japan and Guam.
- On 1 September 1991, under Air Force reorganization, the 92d Bombardment Wing was re-designated the 92d Wing, emphasizing a dual bombing and refueling role.
- The closest airport to Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Spokane International Airport (GEG), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) E of SKA.
- In addition to being known as "Fairchild Air Force Base", another name for SKA is "Fairchild AFB".
- 7 December 1993 marked the beginning of a significant change in the mission of Fairchild when the B-52s were transferred to another ACC base while the KC-135s, now assigned to the newly established Air Mobility Command would remain.
- As military operations in Vietnam escalated in the mid-1960s, the demand for air refueling increased.
- Fairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, located approximately 12 miles southwest of Spokane, Washington.
