Nonstop flight route between Valenciennes, France and Fort Sill, Oklahoma, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS), Valenciennes, France and Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,889 miles (or 7,867 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 Henry Post Army Airfield, 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 Henry Post Army Airfield. 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):

• 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.
• The closest airport to Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Lille Airport (LIL), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) NW of 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.
• Denain Airport began as a pre-World War II airport in France, most likely with a grass runway and several support buildings and a hangar.
• Denain Airport was cleared of German forces by Allied ground forces about 11 September 1944 during the Northern France Campaign.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Valenciennes-Denain Airport", another name for XVS is "(Advanced Landing Ground A-83/B-74)".

Facts about Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI):

• The closest airport to Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI) is Lawton–Fort Sill Regional Airport (LAW), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) S of FSI.
• After returning from combat duty in France, a cadre of the 135th Aero Squadron ) was assigned to Post Field as an observation squadron, supplying aircraft for the United States Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill and supported Army units at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
• By the late 1920s, the World War I tarpaper buildings were rotting and turning into fire hazards.
• As a result of the United State's entry into World War I, Fort Sill was selected for a primary pilot school.
• Air Service/Corps units assigned to Post Field between 1919 and 1941
• Henry Post Army Airfield was the first home of all Army Aviation Training after World War II before moving to Fort Rucker, Alabama in 1954.
• The furthest airport from Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,920 miles (17,575 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Post Field served as a base for flight training for the Air Service.
• Although the Signal corps had been supplying Observation aircraft for the United States Army Field Artillery School since 1915.
• Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The Fort Sill Army Radar Approach Control is the Army's Second busiest Air Traffic Control Facility, providing Radar Approach Control service to Henry Post Army Air Field, Lawton/Fort Sill Regional Airport, Duncan/Haliburton Airport and many smaller airports in the area.