Nonstop flight route between Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada and Forres, Scotland, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU), Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada and Kinloss Barracks (FSS), Forres, Scotland, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,317 miles (or 6,947 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 Qualicum Beach Airport and Kinloss Barracks, 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 Qualicum Beach Airport and Kinloss Barracks. 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 Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU):

• The closest airport to Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU) is Nanaimo Harbour Water Airport (ZNA), which is located 24 miles (38 kilometers) ESE of XQU.
• Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Qualicum Beach Airport (XQU) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,694 miles (17,211 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Because of Qualicum Beach Airport's relatively low elevation of 190 feet, planes can take off or land at Qualicum Beach 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.
• In addition to being known as "Qualicum Beach Airport", another name for XQU is "CAT4".

Facts about Kinloss Barracks (FSS):

• In December 2009, the MOD announced the premature retirement of the Nimrod MR2 by March 2010 and that the introduction of the Nimrod MRA4 would be delayed to 2012.
• Throughout the majority of the war 19 Operational Training Unit was the primary training unit.
• The closest airport to Kinloss Barracks (FSS) is RAF Lossiemouth (LMO), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) ENE of FSS.
• Not long after VE Day 19 OTU was disbanded and the arrival of 6 Coastal OTU saw the beginning of Kinloss's association with maritime operations, an association that continues to this day.
• Kinloss Barracks (FSS) currently has only 1 runway.
• The RAF station opened on 1 April 1939 and served as a training establishment during the Second World War.
• The furthest airport from Kinloss Barracks (FSS) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,616 miles (18,694 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
• In November 1980 two pilots, Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lieutenant Noel Anthony and RAF Flying Officer Stephen Belcher were killed when their aircraft struck birds on take off and crashed in woods to the east of Kinloss airfield.
• In November 2011 the Ministry of Defence and 12 Engineer Group announced that 930 Service personnel from 39 Engineer Regiment will move from Waterbeach Barracks, near Cambridge, to Kinloss in summer 2012.
• The station defences were gradually established and by May 1940, Group Captain Jarman reported that the defence of Kinloss was in order.
• Because of Kinloss Barracks's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Kinloss Barracks 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.