Nonstop flight route between Shellharbour, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia and Bakersfield, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Illawarra Regional Airport (WOL), Shellharbour, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia and Meadows Field (BFL), Bakersfield, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,553 miles (or 12,155 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 Illawarra Regional Airport and Meadows Field, 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 Illawarra Regional Airport and Meadows Field. 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 Illawarra Regional Airport (WOL):

• The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society is based at Illawarra Regional Airport.
• Illawarra Regional Airport (WOL) has 2 runways.
• The primary runway is 16/34, with a paved surface measuring 1,819 m × 30 m.
• Following the war, Trans Australia Airlines and Australian National Airways linked the airport with Canberra and Melbourne until 1950.
• In addition to being known as "Illawarra Regional Airport", another name for WOL is "Wollongong Airport".
• Because of Illawarra Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 31 feet, planes can take off or land at Illawarra Regional 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 Illawarra Regional Airport (WOL) is Camden Aerodrome (CDU), which is located 36 miles (59 kilometers) N of WOL.
• The furthest airport from Illawarra Regional Airport (WOL) is Horta International Airport (HOR), which is nearly antipodal to Illawarra Regional Airport (meaning Illawarra Regional Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Horta International Airport), and is located 12,162 miles (19,573 kilometers) away in Horta, Azores, Portugal.
• Despite the length of the runway being sufficient for operating large passenger jets such as the Boeing 737, the pavements are currently only suitable for aircraft with a Maximum Takeoff Weight not exceeding 25,000 kilograms.

Facts about Meadows Field (BFL):

• Meadows Field covers 1,357 acres at an elevation of 510 feet above mean sea level.
• The furthest airport from Meadows Field (BFL) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,406 miles (18,356 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
• In addition to being known as "Meadows Field", another name for BFL is "Kern County Airport No. 1".
• The closest airport to Meadows Field (BFL) is Shafter Airport (MIT), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) WNW of BFL.
• Between May 1 and July 12, 1944, the 427th Night Fighter Squadron trained at Meadows Field.
• United Airlines served Meadows Field from 1946 until 1979–80 and again for three years starting around 1984.
• Meadows Field (BFL) has 2 runways.
• Kern County Air Terminal has three open air gates, and is currently closed.
• In September 1939 war broke out in Europe, prompting Congress to appropriate $40 million for Development of Landing Areas for National Defense.
• Because of Meadows Field's relatively low elevation of 510 feet, planes can take off or land at Meadows Field 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 Domestic Terminal provides fee parking for both short term, and long term parking.
• Service was expensive compared to nearby airports, and normally ran during inconvenient times.