Nonstop flight route between Whakatane, New Zealand and Spokane, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from WHK to SKA:
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- About this route
- WHK Airport Information
- SKA Airport Information
- Facts about WHK
- Facts about SKA
- Map of Nearest Airports to WHK
- List of Nearest Airports to WHK
- Map of Furthest Airports from WHK
- List of Furthest Airports from WHK
- Map of Nearest Airports to SKA
- List of Nearest Airports to SKA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SKA
- List of Furthest Airports from SKA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Whakatane Airport (WHK), Whakatane, New Zealand and Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA), Spokane, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,149 miles (or 11,505 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 Whakatane Airport and Fairchild Air Force 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 Whakatane Airport and Fairchild Air Force Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | WHK / NZWK |
Airport Name: | Whakatane Airport |
Location: | Whakatane, New Zealand |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°55'14"S by 176°54'51"E |
Elevation: | 20 feet (6 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from WHK |
More Information: | WHK Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SKA / KSKA |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Spokane, Washington, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 47°36'54"N by 117°39'20"W |
View all routes: | Routes from SKA |
More Information: | SKA Maps & Info |
Facts about Whakatane Airport (WHK):
- Because of Whakatane Airport's relatively low elevation of 20 feet, planes can take off or land at Whakatane 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 Whakatane Airport (WHK) is Granada Airport (GRX), which is nearly antipodal to Whakatane Airport (meaning Whakatane Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Granada Airport), and is located 12,374 miles (19,913 kilometers) away in Granada, Spain.
- The closest airport to Whakatane Airport (WHK) is Rotorua International Airport (ROT), which is located 35 miles (56 kilometers) WSW of WHK.
- Whakatane Airport (WHK) has 2 runways.
Facts about Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA):
- Fairchild AFB was established in 1942 as the Spokane Air Depot.
- The furthest airport from Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,665 miles (17,163 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- On 1 July 1994, the 92d Bomb Wing was re-designated the 92d Air Refueling Wing, and Fairchild AFB was transferred from ACC to Air Mobility Command in a ceremony marking the creation of the largest air refueling wing in the Air Force.
- The 92d Air Refueling Wing is commanded by Colonel Brian M.
- Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, a total of 560 base personnel deployed to Desert Shield and Desert Storm from August 1990 to March 1991.
- In 1956 the wing began a conversion that brought the B-52 Stratofortress to Fairchild, followed by the KC-135 Stratotanker in 1958.
- The closest airport to Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Spokane International Airport (GEG), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) E of SKA.
- From 1942 until 1946, the base served as a repair depot for damaged aircraft returning from the Pacific Theater.
- In addition to being known as "Fairchild Air Force Base", another name for SKA is "Fairchild AFB".
- With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, both groups deployed to Japan and Guam.
- As an added incentive to the War Department, many Spokane businesses and public-minded citizens donated money to purchase land for the base.