Nonstop flight route between Detroit, Michigan, United States and Libreville, Gabon:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP), Detroit, Michigan, United States and Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV), Libreville, Gabon would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,348 miles (or 10,215 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 Willow Run Airport (YIP) and Libreville Leon M'ba International 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 Willow Run Airport (YIP) and Libreville Leon M'ba International 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 Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP):

• The closest airport to Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP) is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) E of YIP.
• Willow Run Airport has four runways, a continuously staffed FAA control tower, and US Customs operations.
• At the request of the government, Ford began to decentralize operations and many parts were assembled at other Ford plants as well as by the company's sub-contractors, with the Willow Run plant concentrating on final aircraft assembly.
• Once production began, it became difficult to introduce changes dictated by field experience in the various overseas theaters onto the production line in a timely fashion.
• Willow Run transitioned to production of the B-24H in June 1943.
• By fall 1944 Willow Run had moved from the B-24L to the B-24M, the last Liberator to be built in significant numbers.
• The furthest airport from Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,276 miles (18,147 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Although the airfield itself and the buildings to the east of the runways had been built on Henry Ford's personal property, it is unclear how the parcels across the county line that became the site of the bomber plant were assembled.
• Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP) has 4 runways.
• Because of Willow Run Airport (YIP)'s relatively low elevation of 716 feet, planes can take off or land at Willow Run Airport (YIP) 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.
• United was the last carrier of those to use Willow Run, moving its remaining Detroit operations in 1967 to Metro Airport.

Facts about Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV):

• Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport handled 721,411 passengers last year.
• The closest airport to Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV) is Bata Airport (BSG), which is located 104 miles (167 kilometers) NNE of LBV.
• Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport's relatively low elevation of 39 feet, planes can take off or land at Libreville Leon M'ba International 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 furthest airport from Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV) is Canton Island Airport (CIS), which is nearly antipodal to Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (meaning Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Canton Island Airport), and is located 12,259 miles (19,730 kilometers) away in Canton Island, Kiribati.