Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Saül, French Guiana:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from EDF to XAU:
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- About this route
- EDF Airport Information
- XAU Airport Information
- Facts about EDF
- Facts about XAU
- Map of Nearest Airports to EDF
- List of Nearest Airports to EDF
- Map of Furthest Airports from EDF
- List of Furthest Airports from EDF
- Map of Nearest Airports to XAU
- List of Nearest Airports to XAU
- Map of Furthest Airports from XAU
- List of Furthest Airports from XAU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Saül Airport (XAU), Saül, French Guiana would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,218 miles (or 10,007 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 Elmendorf Air Force Base and Saül 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 Elmendorf Air Force Base and Saül Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | EDF / PAED |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Anchorage, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 61°15'5"N by 149°48'23"W |
View all routes: | Routes from EDF |
More Information: | EDF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | XAU / SOOS |
Airport Name: | Saül Airport |
Location: | Saül, French Guiana |
GPS Coordinates: | 3°36'48"N by 53°12'15"W |
Area Served: | Saül, French Guiana |
Operator/Owner: | Conseil Général de la Guyane |
Elevation: | 735 feet (224 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from XAU |
More Information: | XAU Maps & Info |
Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):
- On 22 September 1995, a Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne early warning and control aircraft with 22 USAF personnel and two Canadian air crew members crashed after ingesting a flock of Canada Geese, killing all on board.
- It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Command, Alaskan NORAD Region, Joint Task Force-Alaska, Eleventh Air Force, the 673d Air Base Wing, the 3rd Wing, the 176th Wing and other Tenant Units.
- Air defense forces reached their zenith in 1957 with almost 200 fighter aircraft assigned to six fighter interceptor squadrons located at Elmendorf AFB and Ladd AFB.
- The strategic importance of Elmendorf AFB was graphically realized during the spring of 1980 when the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed eight of its F-4Es to Korea to participate in exercise Team Spirit.
- The furthest airport from Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,542 miles (16,965 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
- The late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s brought about a gradual, but significant decline in air defense forces in Alaska due to mission changes and the demands of the Vietnam War.
- In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
- The uncertain world situation in late 1940s and early 1950s caused a major buildup of air defense forces in Alaska.
Facts about Saül Airport (XAU):
- The furthest airport from Saül Airport (XAU) is Namrole Airport (NRE), which is nearly antipodal to Saül Airport (meaning Saül Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Namrole Airport), and is located 12,419 miles (19,986 kilometers) away in Buru, Indonesia.
- Because of Saül Airport's relatively low elevation of 735 feet, planes can take off or land at Saül 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 Saül Airport (XAU) is Maripasoula Airport (MPY), which is located 58 miles (93 kilometers) W of XAU.
- Saül Airport (XAU) currently has only 1 runway.