THE ROUTES TO AND FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA
GO THROUGH VIETNAM
BY
KURT PRIESSMAN, MSGT, USAF (RET)
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MILITARY AND MILITARY CONTRACTED AIRCRAFT - A DISCUSSION OF
DISTANCES RELATED TO AIRCRAFT CAPABILITY
C-130E Hercules
C-141 A Starlifter
KC-135R Stratotanker
C-5A Galaxy
DC-8
DC-10
Boeing 707
WEATHER - A DISCUSSION OF TRADE WINDS AND JET STREAMS
The Trade Winds
The Jet Streams
Polar Jet
Subtropical Jet
NAVIGATION - DISCUSSION OF THE GREAT CIRCLE
The Great Circle
DISCUSSION - DISTANCES, JETSTREAMS, & THE GREAT CIRCLE
The Great Circle Route
The Northern Route
The Northern Jet Stream Route
The Jet Stream Route
The Southern Jet Stream Route
The Commercial Flight Route
APPENDICES
1 - USAF Military Aircraft information
2 - Commercial Aircraft Information
TABLES
1 – Aircraft and Distance Information
NOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2
There are a variety of routes between the continental United States (CONUS) and
South East Asia (SEA), considering the type of aircraft, the aircraft’s speed and range,
prevailing winds at flight altitude, aircraft payload, and crew duty limitations, all which
limit the distance of each leg or hop of a flight. Another factor is the season, as it affects
prevailing winds, and therefore the route that may be taken.
Air refueling of civilian and military personnel transport carriers was not routinely if ever
done, since those resources were primarily used to refuel bombers and fighters in direct
support of the battle in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
MILITARY AND MILITARY CONTRACTED AIRCRAFT A DISCUSSION OF DISTANCES RELATED TO AIRCRAFT CAPABILITY
As discussed in the opening paragraph, there are limitations to the distances or
maximum ranges aircraft can reasonably be expected to fly without refueling. These
limitations are based on the aircraft’s weight, the amount of fuel, the weight of cargo and
passengers, flight altitude, and the weather to include temperature, winds, etc.
There are also limitations on the crew flying the aircraft, basically limiting the amount of
time the crew can participate in flying, even when there is an “augmented crew”. The
crew-duty limitation is usually ten and fourteen hours which includes from pre-flight
briefing to at a minimum debriefing the maintenance personnel concerning aircraft writeups.
For this discussion, the USAF military aircraft used for transport circa the Vietnam War
(1963 – 1975), are the C-130A Hercules, the KC-135 Stratotanker, the C-141A
Starlifter, and the C-5A Galaxy. Commercial aircraft of the era were the DC-8, the DC10, and the Boeing 707. Boeing later purchased McDonnell-Douglas. Please refer to
the Appendix 1 for U.S. Air Force Fact Sheets and Federated American Scientist
Military Analysis Network used to compare or verify missing facts on the military aircraft
and Appendix 2 for Boeing’s Information on the commercial jet transports.
C-130E HERCULES
The C-130E was introduced in 1962. The aircraft’s airspeed was 345 miles per hour
(mph) and its ceiling was 19,000 feet at a weight of 42,000 pounds. Its range at
maximum normal payload was somewhat less than at 35,000 pounds, therefore using
the latter pay load; its range was 1,438 miles. 1
In the early 1960s, the C-130 was used for intra- and inter-theater transport of cargo
and personnel as well as other missions. However, in 1966, contract transports took
over airlifts for the 5-day R&R program, and by 1968, the Military Airlift Command
(MAC) and contract transports were hauling 150,000 passengers and 45,000 tons of
cargo monthly to and from SEA. At first MAC flights flew regularly only to Tan Son Nhut
but later flew to other bases. Also to concentrate C-130 resources for use in Vietnam, in
3
April 1968, the Assistant Secretary of Defense ordered overwater flights of C-130s
discontinued. 2
C-141 A STARLIFTER
The C-141A was introduced in 1964 and became operational in 1965. The aircraft’s
airspeed was 500 mph, its ceiling was 41,000 feet, and its range was 2,500 miles. The
range was obtained from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) founded by the
scientists of the Manhattan project.3
KC-135R STRATOTANKER
The KC-135 Stratotanker was first deployed in 1956. Although its primary mission was
refueling, occasionally military personnel would “hop” on the aircraft to get to a
designated location. The aircraft’s maximum airspeed was 530 mph at 30,000 feet. Its
ceiling was 50,000 feet, and the aircraft’s range listed varies from 1,500 miles to 11,015
miles based on configuration.4
C-5A GALAXY
The C-5A Galaxy first operational C-5A was delivered in June 1970 and its initial fights
to Vietnam were only to Cam Ranh Bay. Its speed is 518 mph; its ceiling was not
provided in the Air Force Fact Sheet; however, the Federation of Scientists lists the
ceiling at 34,000 feet with a range of 5,940 miles empty. 5
DC-8
The DC-8 was the first Douglas jet-powered transport introduced in September 1959. Its
cruising speed was 570 mph, its ceiling was 35,000 feet and its range was 4,773 miles
in the DC-8-63 configuration.6
DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 was introduced in 1968 and first delivered in 1971. Its
cruising speed was 587 mph with a ceiling of 42,000 feet. According to Boeing, its range
was 3,800 miles but the “20” series used by Northwest Orient was 5,750 miles. 7
BOEING 707
The Boeing 707 was the competitor to the DC-8, and was introduced in 1957. It is the
commercial addition to Boeing after the Air Force had Boeing build the KC-135. Its
speed was 600 mph its ceiling was 41,000 feet. Initially built as a mid-range transport it
was soon flying across the ocean and continent. 8
The statistical information for the aircraft and distances between Air Force bases in the
Pacific are on Table 1.
4
WEATHER – A DISCUSSION OF TRADE WINDS AND JET STREAMS
THE TRADE WINDS
In latitudes north of 30º (in both the northern and southern hemispheres), the heating of
land and water cause the westerly winds called the “trade winds” or “westerlies”. These
winds are predominant between 30º and 50º latitude. Above the 50º latitude the cooling
of the earth cause the predominant winds to be from east to west and are called the
“polar easterlies”.9
Please click on the picture for better resolution! (38K)
THE JET STREAMS
The jet streams are fast flowing, relatively narrow air currents found in the atmosphere
at around 11 kilometers (36,000 ft) above the surface of the Earth, just under the
tropopause. They form at the boundaries of adjacent air masses with significant
differences in temperature, such as of the polar region and the warmer air to the south.
The jet stream is mainly found in the Stratosphere.
The major jet streams are westerly winds (flowing west to east) in both the Northern and
the Southern Hemispheres, although in the summer, easterly jets can form in tropical
regions. The path of the jet typically has a meandering shape, and these meanders
themselves propagate east, at lower speeds than that of the actual wind within the flow.
The theory of Rossby waves provides the accepted explanation for propagation of the
5
meanders; Rossby waves propagate westward with respect to the flow in which they are
embedded, but relative to the ground, they migrate eastward across the globe.
The 50°- 60° N/S region is where the polar jet is located, with the subtropical jet
located around 30°N latitude. Jet streams vary in height of four to eight miles and can
reach speeds of more than 275 mph. The actual appearance of jet streams result from
the complex interaction between many variables - such as the location of high and low
pressure systems, warm and cold air, and seasonal changes. They meander around
the globe, dipping and rising in altitude/latitude, splitting at times and forming eddies,
and even disappearing altogether to appear somewhere else.
Jet streams also "follow the sun" in that as the sun's elevation increases each day in the
spring, the jet streams shift north moving into Canada by summer. As autumn
approaches and the sun's elevation decreases, the jet stream moves south into the
United States helping to bring cooler air to the country.10
The figure below depicts latitudes of the polar and subtropical jet streams.
6
POLAR JET
Marked by a concentration of isotherms and strong vertical shear, this jet is the
boundary between the polar air and the subtropical air. It often divides into two
branches, the north and the south, and marks the high speed core of the prevailing
westerlies. It is associated with the location and motion of the high and low pressure
areas of the middle latitudes, and therefore, is variable in position, elevation, and wind
speed. Its position tends to migrate south in the Northern Hemispheric winter and north
in the summer, and its core winds increase during the winter and become less strong in
the summer. 11
SUBTROPICAL JET
Marked by a concentration of isotherms and vertical shear, this jet is the boundary
between the subtropical air and the tropical air. It is found approximately between 25°
and 35° North latitude and usually above an altitude of 40,000 feet. Its position tends to
migrate south in the Northern Hemispheric winter and north in the summer. 12
NAVIGATION – A DISCUSSION OF THE GREAT CIRCLE
THE GREAT CIRCLE13
A great circle is a circle on the surface of a sphere that has the same circumference as
the sphere, dividing the sphere into two equal hemispheres. Equivalently, a great circle
on a sphere is a circle on the sphere's surface whose center is the same as the center
of the sphere. A great circle is the intersection of a sphere with a plane going through
its center. A great circle is the largest circle that can be drawn on a given sphere. Great
circles serve as the analog of "straight lines" in spherical geometry. See also spherical
trigonometry and geodesic.
The great circle on the spherical surface is the path with the smallest curvature, and
hence an arc (an orthodrome) is the shortest path between two points on the surface.
The distance between any two points on a sphere is known as the great-circle distance.
While this is the shortest distance between two points, if one was to travel along one it
would be hard to manually steer as the heading is constantly changing (except in the
case of due north or south or along the equator).
When long distance aviation or nautical routes are drawn on a flat map (for instance, the
Mercator projection), they often look curved. This is because they lie on great circles.
A route that would look like a straight line on the map would actually be longer.
On the Earth, the meridians are on great circles, and the equator is a great circle. Other
lines of latitude are not great circles, because they are smaller than the equator; their
centers are not at the center of the Earth -- they are small circles instead. Great circles
7
on Earth are roughly 40,000 km in length, though the Earth is not a perfect sphere; for
instance, the equator is 40,075 km. Some examples of great circles on the celestial
sphere include the horizon (in the astronomical sense), the celestial equator, and the
ecliptic.
Great circle routes are used by ships and aircraft where currents and winds are not a
significant factor. For aircraft traveling westerly between continents in the northern
hemisphere these paths will extend northward near or into the arctic region, while
easterly flights often flew a more southerly track to take advantage of the jet stream.
This discussion is critical and essential to understanding the routing of military and
military contracted flights between the Continental United States (CONUS) and
Southeast Asia (SEA). It graphically illustrates why many veterans indicate that when
flying to SEA they indicate stops in Alaska and Japan; specifically Eielson or Elmendorf
Air Force Bases in Alaska, and Yokota, Kadena, or Naha Air Force Bases in Japan.
These stops were along the Great Circle Routes and not only shortened the distance,
but also utilized the “polar easterlies” for “pushing” the aircraft past normal aircraft range
limitations.
It shows that military and military contracted aircraft returning from SEA would try to use
flight paths as close as possible to the trade winds and jet streams which move from
west to east.
DISCUSSION - DISTANCES, JETSTREAMS, & THE GREAT CIRCLE
While Great Circle Routes are of great use in aviation, it did not mean that they are
always used, particularly during certain seasons. Prevailing winds often necessitate or
make it useful to use the jet stream or other prevailing winds, particularly based on the
latitudes of ports of embarkation and destination and the range of the aircraft.
8
Most of the bases in SEA were in the southern latitudes and therefore below the 30° N
latitude. This meant that to use the Subtropical jet stream, flights flew a southerly route
more often in winter and a more northerly route in summer. Later discussion will point
out those routes which utilized both prevailing winds and bases used for refueling as
aircraft “hopped” across the Pacific Ocean. The following Air Force Bases are in these
latitudes:
Location
Latitude
U-Tapao AB, Thailand
12°40′40″N, 101°00′33″E
Tan Son Nhut AB, Vietnam
10°81′87″N, 106°65′18″E
Clark AFB, Philippines
15°11′09″N, 120°33′37″E
Kadena AFB, Okinawa
26°21′20″N, 127°46′03″E
Yokota AFB, Japan
35°44′55″N, 139°20′55″E
Anderson AFB, Guam
13°35′N, 144°55′E
Wake Island
19°18′0″N, 166°38′0″E
Midway Island
28°13′N, 177°22′W
The atoll lies about 2,800 miles west of San Francisco and 2,200 miles east of Japan.
Hickam AFB, Hawaii
21°19'50" N, 157°57'59" W
Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
61°15'11" N, 149°47'38" W
Travis AFB, California
38°15'46" N, 121°55'39" W
As an example; the C-141A used in the Vietnam War, had a maximum range of
approximately 2,500 miles, flew at an altitude of 25,000 – 41,000 feet, with a speed of
500 miles per hour. The distance between Clark AFB, in the Philippines and Anderson
AFB, in Guam is 1,633 miles, well within the range of the C-141A.
However, the distance between Clark AFB and the next possible landing field, Wake
Island is 3,044 miles form Clark, outside the normal distance of the C-141A; unless the
aircraft is able to fly at an altitude where the prevailing easterly wind is of sufficient
9
speed to make up at least 500 – 600 miles. If the flight normally takes 5:32 hours, the
prevailing wind would have to be approximately 100 miles per hour at a significant
altitude to make up the time within safety parameters.
Other examples of typical flights follow:
Travis AFB, California to U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand is 7,966 miles and would take 13
hours and 51 minutes non-stop. The following shows a picture of the Great Circle
Route.
.
The Great Circle Route
The following picture and tables show the first of several routes to and from SEA to
CONUS to SEA.
10
The Northern Route
From
VTBU (12°40'48"N 101°00'18"E)
VVTS (10°49'08"N 106°39'07"E)
RPLC (15°11'10"N 120°33'37"E)
RJTY (35°44'55"N 139°20'55"E)
PAED (61°15'05"N 149°48'23"W)
To
VVTS (10°49'08"N 106°39'07"E)
RPLC (15°11'10"N 120°33'37"E)
RJTY (35°44'55"N 139°20'55"E)
PAED (61°15'05"N 149°48'23"W)
KSUU (38°15'46"N 121°55'39"W)
Total:
Code
VTBU
VVTS
RPLC
RJTY
PAED
KSUU
Source
DAFIF
DAFIF
DAFIF
DAFIF
FAA
FAA
Initial
Heading
107° (E)
70° (E)
35° (NE)
36° (NE)
130° (SE)
Distance
403 mi
984 mi
1832 mi
3475 mi
1989 mi
Time
0:42
1:43
3:11
6:02
3:27
8683 mi
15:05
Location
Rayong [U-Taphao Intl], TH
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) [Tan Son Nhat Intl], VN
Luzon [Diosdado Macapagal Intl (Clark Intl, Clark AB)], PH
Tokyo [Yokota AFB], Honshu, JP
Anchorage [Elmendorf AFB], AK, US
Fairfield [Travis AFB], CA, US
As one should notice, “the Northern Route” mimics the Great Circle Route almost
exactly. Please note the time and distance of the route. Alternative routes could be
made to make stops at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Taipei, Tainan AB, or Ching Chang
Kang (CCK), Taiwan (Republic of China). It would generally be used in a westerly
direction, in other words, from CONUS to SEA.
11
There are alternative routes required by the maximum ranges of the aircraft shown in
the next two pictures. The below route will be called “the Northern Jet Stream Route”.
The Northern Jet Stream Route
From
VTBU (12°40'48"N 101°00'18"E)
VVTS (10°49'08"N 106°39'07"E)
RPLC (15°11'10"N 120°33'37"E)
RJTY (35°44'55"N 139°20'55"E)
PMDY (28°12'13"N 177°22'46"W)
PAED (61°15'05"N 149°48'23"W)
To
VVTS (10°49'08"N 106°39'07"E)
RPLC (15°11'10"N 120°33'37"E)
RJTY (35°44'55"N 139°20'55"E)
PMDY (28°12'13"N 177°22'46"W)
PAED (61°15'05"N 149°48'23"W)
KSUU (38°15'46"N 121°55'39"W)
Total:
Code
VTBU
VVTS
RPLC
RJTY
PMDY
PAED
KSUU
Source
DAFIF
DAFIF
DAFIF
DAFIF
FAA
FAA
FAA
Initial
Heading
107° (E)
70° (E)
35° (NE)
89° (E)
21° (N)
130° (SE)
Distance
403 mi
984 mi
1832 mi
2573 mi
2613 mi
1989 mi
Time
0:42
1:43
3:11
4:28
4:32
3:27
10393 mi
18:04
Location
Rayong [U-Taphao Intl], TH
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) [Tan Son Nhat Intl], VN
Luzon [Diosdado Macapagal Intl (Clark Intl, Clark AB)], PH
Tokyo [Yokota AFB], Honshu, JP
Sand Island [Henderson Field], Midway Atoll, UM
Anchorage [Elmendorf AFB], AK, US
Fairfield [Travis AFB], CA, US
Except for the deviation above the 50° N latitude this route is similar to the jet stream
and might be flown in order to utilize the polar jet stream.
12
The next route was also flown if weather conditions were suitable. For naming purposes
the route will be called “the Jet Stream Route” as it utilizes the trade winds and the subtropical jet stream. A variation for a C-5 or military contracted transport would be to
Hickam AFB, Hawaii or Elmendorf AFB, Alaska then onward.
.
The Jet Stream Route
From
VTBU (12°40'48"N 101°00'18"E)
VVTS (10°49'08"N 106°39'07"E)
RPLC (15°11'10"N 120°33'37"E)
RJTY (35°44'55"N 139°20'55"E)
PWAK (19°16'48"N 166°38'30"E)
PHIK (21°19'07"N 157°55'21"W)
To
VVTS (10°49'08"N 106°39'07"E)
RPLC (15°11'10"N 120°33'37"E)
RJTY (35°44'55"N 139°20'55"E)
PWAK (19°16'48"N 166°38'30"E)
PHIK (21°19'07"N 157°55'21"W)
KSUU (38°15'46"N 121°55'39"W)
Total:
Code
VTBU
VVTS
RPLC
RJTY
PWAK
PHIK
KSUU
Initial
Heading
107° (E)
70° (E)
35° (NE)
117° (SE)
80° (E)
53° (NE)
Distance Time
403 mi 0:42
984 mi 1:43
1832 mi 3:11
2012 mi 3:30
2299 mi 4:00
2435 mi 4:14
9965 mi 17:19
Source
DAFIF
DAFIF
DAFIF
DAFIF
FAA
DAFIF
FAA
Location
Rayong [U-Taphao Intl], TH
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) [Tan Son Nhat Intl], VN
Luzon [Diosdado Macapagal Intl (Clark Intl, Clark AB)], PH
Tokyo [Yokota AFB], Honshu, JP
Wake Island [Wake Island Airfield], UM
Honolulu [Hickam AFB], Oahu, HI, US
Fairfield [Travis AFB], CA, US
13
The next picture and tables are named “the Southern Jet Stream Route” and were flown
typically by the KC-135R or C-141As. when weather patterns influenced by
temperatures push the Jet Stream south during autumn and winter.
The Southern Jet Stream Route
From
VTBU (12°40'48"N 101°00'18"E)
VVTS (10°49'08"N 106°39'07"E)
RPLC (15°11'10"N 120°33'37"E)
PGUA (13°34'52"N 144°55'28"E)
PWAK (19°16'48"N 166°38'30"E)
PHIK (21°19'07"N 157°55'21"W)
To
VVTS (10°49'08"N 106°39'07"E)
RPLC (15°11'10"N 120°33'37"E)
PGUA (13°34'52"N 144°55'28"E)
PWAK (19°16'48"N 166°38'30"E)
PHIK (21°19'07"N 157°55'21"W)
KSUU (38°15'46"N 121°55'39"W)
Total:
Code
VTBU
VVTS
RPLC
PGUA
PWAK
PHIK
KSUU
Source
DAFIF
DAFIF
DAFIF
FAA
FAA
DAFIF
FAA
Initial
Heading
107° (E)
70° (E)
90° (E)
71° (E)
80° (E)
53° (NE)
Distance
403 mi
984 mi
1636 mi
1492 mi
2299 mi
2435 mi
Time
0:42
1:43
2:51
2:36
4:00
4:14
9250 mi
16:05
Location
Rayong [U-Taphao Intl], TH
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) [Tan Son Nhat Intl], VN
Luzon [Diosdado Macapagal Intl (Clark Intl, Clark AB)], PH
Andersen [Andersen AFB], Mariana Island, GU, US
Wake Island [Wake Island Airfield], UM
Honolulu [Hickam AFB], Oahu, HI, US
Fairfield [Travis AFB], CA, US
14
The last picture and tables below reflect flights typical of commercial aircraft with longer
maximum ranges and might include the Boeing 707, and the McDonnell-Douglas DC-8,
and DC-10. These aircraft had ranges in excess of 4,000 miles.
The Commercial Flight Route
From
To
VTBU (12°40'48"N 101°00'18"E) PWAK (19°16'48"N 166°38'30"E)
PWAK (19°16'48"N 166°38'30"E) KSUU (38°15'46"N 121°55'39"W)
Total:
Code
VTBU
PWAK
KSUU
Source
DAFIF
FAA
FAA
Location
Rayong [U-Taphao Intl], TH
Wake Island [Wake Island Airfield], UM
Fairfield [Travis AFB], CA, US
15
Initial
Heading
74° (E)
56° (NE)
Distance
4366 mi
4419 mi
Time
7:35
7:41
8785 mi
15:16
APPENDIX 1 – USAF MILITARY AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
Official Website of the United States Air Force
Library > Factsheets > C-130 Hercules
Library > Factsheets > C-141 Starlifter
Library > Factsheets > KC-135 Stratotanker
Library > Factsheets > C-5 Galaxy
Website of Federation of American Scientists Military Analysis Network - US
Military Aircraft
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/c-130.htm
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/c-141.htm
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/bomber/kc-135r.htm
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/c-5.htm
16
APPENDIX 2 – COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
Boeing
Boeing Home / Commercial Airplanes / Products / Out-of-Production Models / DC-8
Boeing Home / Commercial Airplanes / Products / Out-of-Production Models / DC-10
Boeing Home / Commercial Airplanes / Products / Out-of-Production Models / 707
17
TABLE 1 – AIRCRAFT AND DISTANCE INFORMATION13
ICAO IDENTIFIERS
CONUS
NORTH ASIA
San Francisco International, CA – KMTR
Seattle-Tacoma International – KSEA
Anchorage International, AK – PANC
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Tokyo International Airport – RJTT
Kimpo International Airport – RKSS
Yokota AB, Japan – RJTY
USAF BASES
Travis AFB, CA – KSUU
Hickam AFB, Hawaii – PHIK
McChord AFB, WA – KTCM
Elmendorf AB, AK – PAED
Midway Island– PMDY
Wake Island AB – PWAK
Anderson AFB, Guam – PGUA
Kadena AFB, Okinawa – RODN
Clark AFB, Philippines – RPLC
Tan Son Nhut AB, Vietnam – VVTS
DaNang AB, Vietnam - VTDN
Cam Ranh Bay AB, Vietnam - VVCR
Phu Cat AB, Vietnam - VVPC
Phan Rang AB, Vietnam - VVPR
Don Muang RTNAB, Thailand – VTBD
U-Tapao RTNAB, Thailand – VTBU
Korat RTNAB, Thailand – VTUN
Takhli RTAB, Thailand - VTPI
Udorn RTAB, Thailand - VTUD
Ubon RTNAB, Thailand - VTUB
NKP RTAB, Thailand - VTUW
AIRCRAFT CIRCA 1971 – 1977
AIRCRAFT
RANGE (NAUTICAL)
RANGE (STATUTE)
AIRSPEED
BOEING 707
DC-8
DC-10
C-130H
C-141A STARLIFTER
KC-135A
C-5A GALAXY
3680 Nautical Miles
4005 Nautical Miles
4000 Nautical Miles
1250 Nautical Miles
2174 Nautical Miles
3000 Nautical Miles
5165 Nautical Miles
4232 Statute Miles
4605 Statute Miles
4600 Statute Miles
1438 Statute Miles
2500 Statute Miles
3450 Statute Miles
5940 Statute Miles
600 KTS
588 MPH
534 KTS
345 MPH
500 MPH
580 MPH
518 MPH
18
INFORMATION ON DISTANCES IN NAUTICAL AND STATUTE MILES AND HOURS14
ICAO – ICAO
RANGE
(NAUTICAL)
RANGE
(STATUTE)
TRAVEL
TIME
PT TO PT DESTINATIONS
MILITARY/CIVILIAN
AIRCRAFT
EAST TO WEST TRAVEL
KSUU – PAED
KSUU – PHIK
KSUU – PMDY
KSUU – PWAK
KSUU – PGUA
KSUU – RODN
KSUU – RPLC
KSUU – VVTS
KSUU – VTBD
KSUU – VTBU
KTCM – RJTT
KSEA – RJTT
RJTT – VTBU
PANC – RJTT
RJTY – RPLC
RJTY – VVTS
RJTY – VTBU
PAED – PMDY
PAED – RJTY
PAED – PWAK
PAED – RODN
PHIK – PMDY
PHIK – PWAK
PHIK – PGUA
PHIK – RODN
PHIK – RPLC
PHIK – VVTS
PHIK – VTBU
1,725 MILES
2,114 MILES
2,806 MILES
3,832 MILES
5,043 MILES
5,294 MILES
6,050 MILES
6,792 MILES
6,863 MILES
6,909 MILES
4,165 MILES
4,611 MILES
2,503 MILES
3,003 MILES
1,593 MILES
2,322 MILES
2,489 MILES
2,269 MILES
3,011 MILES
3,108 MILES
3,811 MILES
1,136 MILES
1,994 MILES
3,287 MILES
4,033 MILES
4,609 MILES
5,663 MILES
5,726 MILES
1,985 MILES
2,433 MILES
3,229 MILES
4,411 MILES
5,805 MILES
6,094 MILES
6,963 MILES
7,818 MILES
7,899 MILES
7,952 MILES
4,794 MILES
4,790 MILES
2,881 MILES
3,457 MILES
1,834 MILES
2,672 MILES
2,864 MILES
2,611 MILES
3,466 MILES
3,577 MILES
4,386 MILES
1,307 MILES
2,295 MILES
3,783 MILES
4,642 MILES
5,306 MILES
6,288 MILES
6,591 MILES
3:42 HRS
4:29 HRS
5:52 HRS
7:55 HRS
9:01 HRS
10:50 HRS
12:21 HRS
13:50 HRS
13.59 HRS
14:04 HRS
8:35 HRS
8:34 HRS
5:15 HRS
6:15 HRS
3:26 HRS
4:54 HRS
5:14 HRS
4:17 HRS
6:16 HRS
7:00 HRS
7:52 HRS
2:31 HRS
4:14 HRS
6:49 HRS
8:19HRS
9:28 HRS
11:11 HRS
11:42 HRS
TRAVIS TO ELMENDORF
TRAVIS TO HICKAM
TRAVIS TO MIDWAY ISLAND
TRAVIS TO WAKE ISLAND
TRAVIS TO GUAM
TRAVIS TO KADENA
TRAVIS TO CLARK
TRAVIS TO TAN SON NHUT
TRAVIS TO DON MUANG
TRAVIS TO UTAPAO
MCCHORD TO TOKYO
SEATTLE TO TOKYO
TOKYO TO UTAPAO
ANCHORAGE TO TOKYO
YOKOTA TO CLARK
YOKOTA TO TAN SON NHUT
YOKOTA TO UTAPAO
ELMENDORF TO MIDWAY
ELMENDORF TO YOKOTA
ELMENDORF TO WAKE ISLAND
ELMENDORF TO KADENA
HICKAM TO MIDWAY
HICKAM TO WAKE ISLAND
HICKAM TO GUAM
HICKAM TO KADENA
HICKAM TO CLARK
HICKAM TO TAN SON NHUT
HICKAM TO UTAPAO
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-5, DC-8, DC-10
C-5
///////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////
C-5, DC-8, DC-10
C-5, DC-8, DC-10
KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
KC-135, C-5, DC-8, DC-10, B-707
KC-135, C-5, DC-8, DC-10, B-707
C-5, DC-8, DC-10
ALL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
KC-135, C-5, DC-8, DC-10, B-707
C-5, DC-8, DC-10
C-5
//////////////////////////////////////
//////////////////////////////////////
BOLD – Aircraft range for the point to point destination is potentially outside the stated range of the aircraft.
19
ICAO – ICAO
RANGE
(NAUTICAL)
RANGE
(STATUTE)
TRAVEL
TIME
PT TO PT DESTINATIONS
MILITARY/CIVILIAN
AIRCRAFT
IN COUNTRY TRAVEL IN THAILAND
VTBD – VTBU
VTBD – VTPI
VTBD – VTUN
VTBD – VTUD
VTBD – VTUU
VTBD – VTUW
VTBU – VTUN
VTBU – VTPI
VTUN – VTUU
VTUU – VTUD
VTUD – VTUW
78 MILES
84 MILES
105 MILES
244 MILES
260 MILES
313 MILES
149 MILES
161 MILES
163 MILES
175 MILES
106 MILES
89 MILES
97 MILES
121 MILES
280 MILE
300 MILES
360 MILES
172 MILES
186 MILES
187 MILES
202 MILES
122 MILES
25 MINS
28 MINS
32 MINS
54 MINS
57 MINS
1:05 HRS
39 MINS
41 MINS
41 MINS
43 MINS
32 MINS
DON MUANG TO UTAPAO
DON MUANG TO TAKHLI
DON MUANG TO KORAT
DON MUANG TO UDORN
DON MUANG TO UBON
DON MUANG TO NKP
UTAPAO TO KORAT
UTAPAO TO TAKHLI
KORAT TO UBON
UBON TO UDORN
UDORN TO NKP
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
INTRA COUNTRY TRAVEL THAILAND - VIETNAM
VTBD – VVTS
VTBD – VVDN
VTBD – VVPC
VTBD – VVPR
VTBD – VVCR
VTBU – VVTS
VTUN – VVTS
VTUW – VVTS
400 MILES
458 MILES
491 MILES
507 MILES
516 MILES
350 MILES
364 MILES
410 MILES
460 MILES
527 MILES
565 MILES
584 MILES
594 MILES
403 MILES
419 MILES
473 MILES
1:19 HRS
1:28 HRS
1:34 HRS
1:36 HRS
1:22 HRS
1:11 HRS
1:13 HRS
1:21 HRS
DON MUANG TO TAN SON NHUT
DON MUANG TO DA NANG
DON MUANG TO PHU CAT
DON MUANG TO PHAN RANG
DON MUANG TO CAM RANH
UTAPAO TO TAN SON NHUT
KORAT TO TAN SON NHUT
NKP TO TAN SON NHUT
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
ALL
WEST TO EAST TRAVEL
VVTS – RPLC
VTBU – RPLC
VTBU – RODN
VTDN – RJTY
VTBU – PGUA
VTBU – PMDY
RPLC – PGUA
RPLC – PWAK
RPLC – PMDY
PWAK – PGUA
854 MILES
1,148 MILES
1,716 MILES
2,040 MILES
2,564 MILES
4,605 MILES
1,419 MILES
2,645 MILES
3,511 MILES
1,294 MILES
983 MILES
1,322 MILES
1,975 MILES
2,348 MILES
2,951 MILES
5,301 MILES
1,633 MILES
3,044 MILES
4,041 MILES
1,489 MILES
2:06 HRS
2:33 HRS
3:41 HRS
4:20 HRS
5:23 HRS
9:28 HRS
3:05 HRS
5:32 HRS
7:16 HRS
2:50 HRS
TAN SON NHUT TO CLARK
UTAPAO TO CLARK
UTAPAO TO KADENA
DANANG TO YOKOTA
UTAPAO TO GUAM
UTAPAO TO MIDWAY
CLARK TO GUAM
CLARK TO WAKE ISLAND
CLARK TO MIDWAY
WAKE ISLAND TO GUAM
20
ALL
ALL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-5
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-5, COMMERCIAL
ALL
ICAO – ICAO
RANGE
(NAUTICAL)
RANGE
(STATUTE)
TRAVEL
TIME
PT TO PT DESTINATIONS
MILITARY/CIVILIAN
AIRCRAFT
PWAK – RJTY
PWAK – RODN
PMDY – RJTY
PMDY – PGUA
PMDY – RODN
PGUA – RODN
1,746 MILES
2,183 MILES
2,230 MILES
2,275 MILES
2,902 MILES
1,232 MILES
2,010 MILES
2,512 MILES
2,567 MILES
2,619 MILES
3,340 MILES
1,418 MILES
3:45 HRS
4:37 HRS
4:43 HRS
4:48 HRS
6:03 HRS
2:43 HRS
WAKE ISLAND TO YOKOTA
WAKE ISLAND TO KADENA
MIDWAY TO YOKOTA
MIDWAY TO GUAM
MIDWAY TO KADENA
GUAM TO KADENA
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
C-141, KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
KC-135, C-5, COMMERCIAL
ALL
21
NOTES
1
Air Force Link, Official Website of the United States Air Force,
Point of Contact: Air Mobility Command, Public Affairs Office; 503 Ward Drive Ste 214,
Scott AFB, IL 62225-5335, DSN 779-7843 or (618) 229-7843.
Library > Factsheets > C-130 Hercules, May 2006
2
Page 383, The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia, “Tactical Airlift”, Ray L. Bowers, OFFICE
OF AIR FORCE HISTORY, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, WASHINGTON, D.C., 1983
3
Air Force Link, Official Website of the United States Air Force,
Point of Contact: Air Mobility Command, Public Affairs Office; 503 Ward Drive Ste 214, Scott AFB, IL
62225-5335, DSN 779-7843 or (618) 229-7843.
Library > Factsheets > C-141 Starlifter, May 2006
Federated American Scientists Military Analysis Network,
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/c-141.htm
Updated Thursday, July 08, 1999 10:22:43 AM
4
Air Force Link, Official Website of the United States Air Force,
Point of Contact: Air Mobility Command, Public Affairs Office; 503 Ward Drive Ste 214, Scott AFB, IL
62225-5335, DSN 779-7843 or (618) 229-7843.
Library > Factsheets > KC-135 Stratotanker, July 2006
Federated American Scientists Military Analysis Network,
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/bomber/kc-135r.htm
Updated Tuesday, November 30, 1999 5:21:03 AM
Based on a non-refueling mission, this document uses approximately 3,400 miles as a range. This
number is based on the fact that the KC-135 is the military version of the Boeing 707 whose maximum
range is 3,000 miles. I have traveled from Anderson AFB, Guam to U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand on a
KC-135, a distance of 2,951 miles. Certified Statement, Kurt Priessman, MSgt (Ret) USAF
5
Air Force Link, Official Website of the United States Air Force,
Point of Contact: Air Mobility Command, Public Affairs Office; 503 Ward Drive Ste 214, Scott AFB, IL
62225-5335, DSN 779-7843 or (618) 229-7843.
Library > Factsheets > C-5 Galaxy, December 2006
Federated American Scientists Military Analysis Network,
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/c-5.htm,
Updated Tuesday, September 26, 2000 1:12:14 PM
6
Copyright © 1995 - 2007 Boeing. All Rights Reserved
7
Ibid
8
Ibid
9
Rotating Earth - Global Circulation Source: website of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Department
of Geological Sciences.
22
10
National Weather Service
Southern Region Headquarters
819 Taylor Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
11
Copyright © 1995-2007, The Weather Channel Interactive, Inc.
12
Ibid
13
Credits and Copyrights
The tools and data used to build the Great Circle Mapper are derived from a variety of sources.

The airport database was developed using DAFIF®, a product of the National GeospatialIntelligence Agency. The Great Circle Mapper has not been endorsed or otherwise approved by
the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the former National Imagery and Mapping Agency,
or the United States Department of Defense (10 USC 425).

U.S. airport data is from FAA data made available by Paulo Santos.

Additional airport information has been contributed by Thomas Jäger, Iikka Meriläinen, Yann
Gascard (Virtual Pilots Association), Sigurbjörn Ragnarsson (Flugnet), and many others.

Distances and path coordinates are computed using PROJ.4.

The PBMPLUS graphics toolkit created by Jef Poskanzer, which has become Netpbm, has been
an invaluable aid in creating the site.

Rectangular projections (non-topographic) were derived from maps generated by the Xerox map
server, using the color palette of the Virtual Tourist maps.

Orthographic and Azimuthal Equidistant projections were derived from maps generated by
Online Map Creation. (Originally only polar aspects of orthographic maps were available, but
oblique aspects for both projections have recently been added.)

Topographic maps are from the Color Landform Atlas (copyright Ray Sterner) and composites
(copyright Andrew D. Birrell).

Flags are primarily from Mooney's MiniFlags, with the kind permission of Edward Mooney, Jr. A
few additional flags are from the Flags of the World section of the CIA's World Factbook.

Inspiration for this project was provided by my late mother, whose questions led me to wonder
just what is the shortest path between various places.
All these pieces are glued together by some home-grown software, including about 2,850 lines of C and
another 8,000 lines of Perl online. There is also a large amount of support code, all written in Perl,
including 6,250 lines or so used to build the airport location database, ETOPS data, etc., and another 900
lines of Perl to perform log analysis, cache maintenance, and the like.
14
Air Routing International, LP, Member Air Routing Group, Houston, Texas © 2003 AR Group. All
Rights Reserved.
23
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kurt Priessman is a retired Master Sergeant whose professional experience included 20
years in the United States Air Force from 1970 to 1990. Many of his years were spent in
the 27100 Air Operations career field, including serving as NCOIC, Flight Operations,
NCOIC, Squadron Operations, NCOIC, Aircrew Training and finally Superintendent,
Operations Resource Management Systems at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina and
Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona.
His duties included being intimately familiar with Flight Planning Documents (FLIPS),
Enroute Supplements, the Foreign Clearance Guide, navigational charts, notices to
airmen (NOTAMS), takeoff and landing weather minimums , aircraft maintenance and
scheduling, standardization evaluation requirements, aircraft technical order
publications, and AF Manuals and Regulations relating to aircraft and aircrew
requirements. His experience included many detailed discussions with instructor pilots
and navigators. As a passenger, he once correctly diagnosed an unsafe gear indicator
light which he discussed with the aircraft’s pilot who was astounded that anyone but the
aircrew would know. They both laughed when the pilot indicated they had lost the #3
engine to a bird and flew across most of the Northern Pacific Ocean with three engines.
MSgt Priessman spent eight years and 9 months in PACAF and was stationed at UTapao and Korat RTAFB, Thailand, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, and Kunsan and
Taegu AB, Republic of Korea. His travels include places such as Korat, Bangkok,
Sattahip, and Pattaya, Thailand, Hong Kong, the entire Okinawan island, Clark AFB,
Philippines, Anderson AB, Guam, Midway and Wake Islands, Hickam AFB, Hawaii,
Tokyo and Yokota AB, Japan, and the major portion of the South Korean peninsula from
Kunsan to Taegu to Pusan and from Pyongtaek to Osan to Seoul and the DMZ.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Saint Leo College and a
Masters Degree from Golden Gate University. Additionally, he gained certification as a
Certified Public Manager from Arizona State University.
24