Nonstop flight route between Valenciennes, France and Douglas, Arizona, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS), Valenciennes, France and Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL), Douglas, Arizona, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,471 miles (or 8,805 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 Douglas Municipal 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 Douglas Municipal 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):

• Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Lille Airport (LIL), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) NW of XVS.
• In addition, a reconnaissance unit, Aufklärungsgruppe 12 was assigned to Denain in October 1940 with Henschel Hs 126 twin-seat light observation planes.
• In addition to being known as "Valenciennes-Denain Airport", another name for XVS is "(Advanced Landing Ground A-83/B-74)".
• 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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL):

• The closest airport to Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL) is Bisbee Douglas International Airport (DUG), which is located only 10 miles (17 kilometers) NNW of DGL.
• Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Douglas Municipal Airport", another name for DGL is "Douglas Army Airfield".
• The ALP was updated by Blanton & Company of Tucson, Arizona in 1967.
• Because of Douglas Municipal Airport's high elevation of 4,173 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at DGL. Combined with a high temperature, this could make DGL a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• In 1949-50, the base administration building was remodeled to serve as an airline terminal building.
• Records of Auxiliary Airfield #4 have been lost to time.
• The furthest airport from Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,522 miles (18,542 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.