Nonstop flight route between Hyder, Alaska, United States and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD), Hyder, Alaska, United States and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,420 miles (or 7,113 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 Hyder Seaplane Base and MoD St Athan, 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 Hyder Seaplane Base and MoD St Athan. 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 Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD):

• There are two floats for seaplanes, one along the shoreline and another within a protected cove with a concrete launch ramp.
• The closest airport to Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD) is Stewart Aerodrome (ZST), which is located only 2 miles (4 kilometers) NNE of WHD.
• The furthest airport from Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 10,540 miles (16,962 kilometers) away in Port Alfred, South Africa.
• Hyder Seaplane Base has one seaplane landing area designated N/S with a water surface measuring 10,000 by 1,000 feet.
• Hyder Seaplane Base is a state owned, public use seaplane base located one nautical mile southeast of the central business district of Hyder, a community in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area of the U.S.
• Because of Hyder Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Hyder Seaplane Base 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.
• Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Hyder Seaplane Base", another name for WHD is "4Z7".

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• In March 2004, however, DARA announced the loss of 550 jobs at St Athan as part of streamlining to make DARA more efficient and better able to compete with the private sector for lucrative aircraft repair contracts, but also because they lost out to a direct RAF bid for a contract to upgrade the air force's fleet of ageing Harrier jump jet aircraft.
• Because of MoD St Athan's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at MoD St Athan 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 MoD St Athan (DGX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The new academy was claimed to create up to 5000 jobs at St Athan with a £14 billion investment over 25 years with an estimated £57.4 million spent into the local economy.
• The station officially opened as RAF St Athan on 1 September 1938 and the first unit to take up residence was No 4 School of Technical Training.
• In 2009 building work was due to commence on a new defence training academy with its heart at St Athan.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• In March 2003 it was confirmed that a new hi-tech maintenance centre would be built, creating 3,300 jobs.
• After the war, airmen of the Airframe and Engine trades continued to train at St Athan, but in 1955 this training dispersed to RAF Kirkham and RAF Weeton.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.