Nonstop flight route between Woensdrecht, Netherlands and Big Spring, Texas, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Woensdrecht Air Base (WOE), Woensdrecht, Netherlands and Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS), Big Spring, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,124 miles (or 8,247 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 Woensdrecht Air Base and Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield, 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 Woensdrecht Air Base and Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield. 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 Woensdrecht Air Base (WOE):

• The furthest airport from Woensdrecht Air Base (WOE) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,908 miles (19,164 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Woensdrecht Air Base (WOE) is Antwerp International Airport (ANR), which is located only 19 miles (30 kilometers) SSE of WOE.
• The airport was founded in 1934 as a glider and training airfield for the Royal Dutch Air Force.
• In addition to being known as "Woensdrecht Air Base", another name for WOE is "(Advanced Landing Ground B-79)".
• Because of Woensdrecht Air Base's relatively low elevation of 63 feet, planes can take off or land at Woensdrecht Air 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.
• Woensdrecht Air Base (WOE) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS):

• The AT-11 which was activated to replace the separate air and ground units.
• In its continuing effort to cut costs, ATC made some major changes in the undergraduate pilot training program.
• The facility first was used by the United States Army Air Forces as Big Spring Army Air Field, opening on 28 April 1942 as part of the Central Flying Training Command.
• By 1960, the consolidated pilot training program meant the consolidation of preflight, primary, and basic instruction into one school.
• In August 1972, ATC established a pilot instructor training course for Vietnamese Air Force instructors at Webb AFB, Texas.
• The facility was brought back into service as a primary training installation because of the Korean War and the need for additional pilots.
• By the mid-1970s, the end of the Vietnam War, the associated financial costs of that conflict and related cuts in USAF force structure and future defense budgets meant a marked decrease in the need for Air Force pilots.
• The closest airport to Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS) is Midland Airpark (MDD), which is located 36 miles (58 kilometers) WSW of BGS.
• The furthest airport from Webb Air Force Base Big Spring Army Airfield (BGS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,166 miles (17,969 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Webb AFB was turned over to the General Services Agency for disposal on 1 January 1978 and the property later turned over to the Big Spring Industrial Park.
• The airfield was activated as Big Spring Air Force Base on 1 October 1951 by the United States Air Force Air Training Command and established the 3560th Pilot Training Wing.