Nonstop flight route between Valenciennes, France and Metlakatla, Annette Island, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS), Valenciennes, France and Metlakatla Seaplane Base (MTM), Metlakatla, Annette Island, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,704 miles (or 7,571 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 Metlakatla Seaplane Base, 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 Metlakatla Seaplane Base. 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 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 appears that the Luftwaffe moved out of Denain in 1941 and the airfield was left unused.
• Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• 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 French control after the war, the airport sat abandoned for several years.
• The closest airport to Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Lille Airport (LIL), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) NW of XVS.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Metlakatla Seaplane Base (MTM):

• Metlakatla Seaplane Base (MTM) has 2 runways.
• Metlakatla Seaplane Base has two seaplane landing areas designated E/W and N/S, each measuring 5,000 by 5,000 feet.
• The closest airport to Metlakatla Seaplane Base (MTM) is Annette Island Airport (ANN), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) S of MTM.
• Because of Metlakatla Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Metlakatla Seaplane Base 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.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 3,344 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 3,403 enplanements in 2009, and 4,140 in 2010.
• The furthest airport from Metlakatla Seaplane Base (MTM) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 10,621 miles (17,093 kilometers) away in Port Alfred, South Africa.