Nonstop flight route between Valenciennes, France and Decatur, Alabama, United States:
Departure Airport:
(50°19'32"N by 3°27'39"E)
Arrival Airport:
(34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W)
Distance from XVS to DCU:
4,441.49 miles (7,147.87 km)
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- About this route
- XVS Airport Information
- DCU Airport Information
- Facts about XVS
- Facts about DCU
- Map of Nearest Airports to XVS
- List of Nearest Airports to XVS
- Map of Furthest Airports from XVS
- List of Furthest Airports from XVS
- Map of Nearest Airports to DCU
- List of Nearest Airports to DCU
- Map of Furthest Airports from DCU
- List of Furthest Airports from DCU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS), Valenciennes, France and Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), Decatur, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,441 miles (or 7,148 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 Pryor Field 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 Pryor Field Regional Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | XVS / LFAV |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Valenciennes, France |
| GPS Coordinates: | 50°19'32"N by 3°27'39"E |
| Elevation: | 177 feet (54 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from XVS |
| More Information: | XVS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | DCU / KDCU |
| Airport Name: | Pryor Field Regional Airport |
| Location: | Decatur, Alabama, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W |
| Area Served: | Decatur, Alabama |
| Operator/Owner: | Decatur/Athens Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 592 feet (180 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DCU |
| More Information: | DCU Maps & Info |
Facts about Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS):
- In addition to being known as "Valenciennes-Denain Airport", another name for XVS is "(Advanced Landing Ground A-83/B-74)".
- Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- It was seized by the Germans in late May 1940 during the early part of the Battle of France.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Denain Airport was cleared of German forces by Allied ground forces about 11 September 1944 during the Northern France Campaign.
- The closest airport to Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Lille Airport (LIL), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) NW of XVS.
- In response to the interceptor attacks, Denain was attacked by USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauder medium bombers and P-47 Thunderbolts mostly with 500-pound General-Purpose bombs.
Facts about Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU):
- Pryor Field Regional Airport covers an area of 200 acres which contains one asphalt paved runway measuring 6,107 x 100 ft.
- The furthest airport from Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,180 miles (17,992 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Huntsville International Airport (HSV), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) E of DCU.
- Because of Pryor Field Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 592 feet, planes can take off or land at Pryor Field 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.
- In 2007, Chris Wright was struck by a propeller as he was "hand propping" starting his plane.
- A newly built $1.8 million terminal building opened in 2008 at the north end of the field as part of a federally funded $3.3 million project.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 23.26 miles (37.43 km) NW | Lille Airport (LIL) | Lille, France |     |
| 2 | 29.04 miles (46.74 km) W | Arras - Roclincourt Airport (QRV) | Arras / Roclincourt, France | |
| 3 | 35.79 miles (57.59 km) NNW | Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport (KJK) | Wevelgem, Belgium | |
| 4 | 41.33 miles (66.52 km) WNW | Merville - Calonne Airport (HZB) | Merville / Calonne, France | |
| 5 | 44.66 miles (71.87 km) ENE | Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) | Charleroi, Wallonia, Belgium | |
| 6 | 56.96 miles (91.66 km) WSW | Amiens - Glisy Aerodrome (QAM) | Amiens, France | |
| 7 | 59.96 miles (96.50 km) NE | Brussels Airport (BRU) | Brussels, Belgium | |
| 8 | 63.50 miles (102.19 km) NW | Dunkerque – Les Moëres Airfield (XDK) | Dunkerque, France | |
| 9 | 65.80 miles (105.90 km) NNW | Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST) | Flanders, Belgium | |
| 10 | 73.07 miles (117.60 km) W | Aerodrome Abbeville (XAB) | Abbeville, France | |
| 11 | 73.96 miles (119.02 km) NE | Antwerp International Airport (ANR) | Antwerp, Belgium | |
| 12 | 74.91 miles (120.56 km) SSE | Reims-Champagne Air Base (RHE) | Reims, France | |
| 13 | 79.38 miles (127.76 km) NW | Calais–Dunkerque Airport (CQF) | Calais / Dunkerque, France | |
| 14 | 81.77 miles (131.60 km) W | Le Touquet - Côte d'Opale Airport (LTQ) | Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, France | |
| 15 | 85.00 miles (136.79 km) SW | Beauvais–Tillé Airport (BVA) | Beauvais, France | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,986.60 miles (19,290.52 km) S | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,755.14 miles (18,918.02 km) ESE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,753.32 miles (18,915.09 km) ESE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,738.66 miles (18,891.50 km) SE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,732.71 miles (18,881.91 km) SE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,729.94 miles (18,877.46 km) ESE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,717.73 miles (18,857.81 km) SE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,697.92 miles (18,825.93 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,694.94 miles (18,821.13 km) ESE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,692.42 miles (18,817.07 km) ESE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,689.43 miles (18,812.27 km) SE | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,689.20 miles (18,811.90 km) SSE | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,674.71 miles (18,788.58 km) SE | Woodbourne Airport (BHE) | Blenheim, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,670.71 miles (18,782.14 km) ESE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,670.68 miles (18,782.09 km) ESE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 9.75 miles (15.69 km) E | Huntsville International Airport (HSV) | Huntsville / Decatur, Alabama, United States | |
| 2 | 14.90 miles (23.98 km) E | Redstone Army Airfield (AAF) (HUA) | Redstone Arsenal (near Huntsville), Alabama, United States | |
| 3 | 35.39 miles (56.96 km) NE | Fayetteville Municipal Airport (FYM) | Fayetteville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 4 | 38.30 miles (61.63 km) W | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) | Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States | |
| 5 | 63.59 miles (102.34 km) NNW | Maury County Airport (MRC) | Columbia/Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, United States | |
| 6 | 63.86 miles (102.77 km) NE | Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA) | Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States | |
| 7 | 67.85 miles (109.19 km) SE | Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (GAD) | Gadsden, Alabama, United States | |
| 8 | 68.70 miles (110.56 km) NNE | Shelbyville Municipal Airport (SYI) | Shelbyville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 9 | 70.49 miles (113.44 km) ENE | Franklin County Airport (UOS) | Sewanee, Tennessee, United States | |
| 10 | 70.57 miles (113.57 km) WSW | Marion County - Rankin Fite Airport (HAB) | Hamilton, Alabama, United States | |
| 11 | 76.14 miles (122.53 km) S | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | |
| 12 | 82.06 miles (132.06 km) ENE | Marion County Airport (APT) | Jasper, Tennessee, United States | |
| 13 | 85.51 miles (137.62 km) SSE | St. Clair County Airport (PLR) | Pell City, Alabama, United States | |
| 14 | 86.47 miles (139.16 km) NNW | Centerville Municipal Airport (GHM) | Centerville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 15 | 90.74 miles (146.03 km) SE | Talladega Municipal Airport (ASN) | Talladega, Alabama, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,179.89 miles (17,992.25 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,160.27 miles (17,960.66 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,140.94 miles (17,929.56 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,128.73 miles (17,909.90 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,124.24 miles (17,902.69 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,122.62 miles (17,900.07 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,110.85 miles (17,881.13 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,104.61 miles (17,871.09 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,103.33 miles (17,869.03 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,097.40 miles (17,859.49 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,074.48 miles (17,822.60 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,050.67 miles (17,784.29 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,041.81 miles (17,770.02 km) W | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,035.79 miles (17,760.33 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,032.55 miles (17,755.12 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |