Nonstop flight route between São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe and Biggin Hill / London, England, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between São Tomé International Airport (TMS), São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe and London Biggin Hill Airport (BQH), Biggin Hill / London, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,542 miles (or 5,700 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 São Tomé International Airport and London Biggin Hill 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 São Tomé International Airport and London Biggin Hill 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 São Tomé International Airport (TMS):

• In addition to being known as "São Tomé International Airport", another name for TMS is "Aeroporto Internacional de São Tomé".
• The furthest airport from São Tomé International Airport (TMS) is Canton Island Airport (CIS), which is nearly antipodal to São Tomé International Airport (meaning São Tomé International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Canton Island Airport), and is located 12,239 miles (19,696 kilometers) away in Canton Island, Kiribati.
• São Tomé International Airport (TMS) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to São Tomé International Airport (TMS) is Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV), which is located 187 miles (300 kilometers) E of TMS.
• Because of São Tomé International Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at São Tomé 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.

Facts about London Biggin Hill Airport (BQH):

• From 1963, Biggin Hill airport was the venue of the Biggin Hill International Air Fair, an annual airshow that usually took place towards the end of June.
• London Biggin Hill Airport (BQH) has 2 runways.
• Despite the effective ban on scheduled services, Biggin Hill is used by a large number of business flights by business jets and similar sized aircraft.
• The closest airport to London Biggin Hill Airport (BQH) is Redhill Aerodrome (KRH), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SW of BQH.
• Because of London Biggin Hill Airport's relatively low elevation of 599 feet, planes can take off or land at London Biggin Hill 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 London Biggin Hill Airport (BQH) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,892 miles (19,139 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The airport has two runways, aligned roughly north-south and east-west, which intersect at their respective southern and western ends, forming an L shaped configuration.
• During the Second World War the airfield was one of the commanding bases for the Battle of Britain, with both Spitfires and Hurricanes from a variety of squadrons being based there.
• Biggin Hill is the location of one of the four "stacks" for aircraft landing at Heathrow Airport, and is used by aircraft approaching from the south east.
• In addition to being known as "London Biggin Hill Airport", another name for BQH is "Biggin Hill Airport".