Nonstop flight route between Valenciennes, France and Westfield / Springfield, Massachusetts, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS), Valenciennes, France and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF), Westfield / Springfield, Massachusetts, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,522 miles (or 5,668 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 Valenciennes-Denain Airport and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport, 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 Valenciennes-Denain Airport and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport. 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 Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS):

• The wartime air base is still evident with the 5500' concrete NE/SW runway remaining, complete with patched bomb craters and expansion joints allowing grass to grow between the concrete pads.
• In addition, a reconnaissance unit, Aufklärungsgruppe 12 was assigned to Denain in October 1940 with Henschel Hs 126 twin-seat light observation planes.
• Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Valenciennes-Denain Airport", another name for XVS is "(Advanced Landing Ground A-83/B-74)".
• In French control after the war, the airport sat abandoned for several years.
• C-47 Skytrain transports moved in and out of the American controlled airfield almost immediately after the runway was repaired, supplying the front line forces with the necessary materiel to support their advance.
• The furthest airport from Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,987 miles (19,291 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Lille Airport (LIL), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) NW of XVS.
• Because of Valenciennes-Denain Airport's relatively low elevation of 177 feet, planes can take off or land at Valenciennes-Denain 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.
• After the construction of a military airfield at Denain, the airfield was reactivated by the Luftwaffe, stationing Jagdgeschwader 3, a day fighter-interceptor unit assigned to the "Defense of the Reich" campaign against the American Eighth Air Force heavy bombers attacking targets in Occupied Europe and Germany.
• Reconstruction of the airport included an entirely new asphalt runway, aligned 11/29, along with appropriate taxiways, ramp space and new infrastructure buildings on the north-west side of the airfield.

Facts about Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF):

• Barnes Municipal Airport has two FAA-approved flight schools.
• In addition to being known as "Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport", another name for BAF is "(formerly Barnes Municipal Airport)".
• In 1923 citizens of Westfield, and nearby Holyoke set out to build an airport.
• Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport is a public/military airport in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States.
• Because of Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 270 feet, planes can take off or land at Westfield-Barnes 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.
• Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF) has 2 runways.
• The airport covers 1,200 acres  at an elevation of 270 feet above mean sea level.
• The closest airport to Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF) is Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF), which is located only 10 miles (15 kilometers) ENE of BAF.
• The furthest airport from Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,728 miles (18,874 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.