Nonstop flight route between Alexander City, Alabama, United States and Pituffik, Greenland:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from ALX to THU:
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- About this route
- ALX Airport Information
- THU Airport Information
- Facts about ALX
- Facts about THU
- Map of Nearest Airports to ALX
- List of Nearest Airports to ALX
- Map of Furthest Airports from ALX
- List of Furthest Airports from ALX
- Map of Nearest Airports to THU
- List of Nearest Airports to THU
- Map of Furthest Airports from THU
- List of Furthest Airports from THU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thomas C. Russell Field (ALX), Alexander City, Alabama, United States and Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,064 miles (or 4,931 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 Thomas C. Russell Field and Thule Air 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 Thomas C. Russell Field and Thule Air Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | ALX / KALX |
| Airport Name: | Thomas C. Russell Field |
| Location: | Alexander City, Alabama, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 32°54'52"N by 85°57'47"W |
| Area Served: | Alexander City, Alabama |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Alexander City |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 686 feet (209 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from ALX |
| More Information: | ALX Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | THU / BGTL |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Pituffik, Greenland |
| GPS Coordinates: | 76°31'51"N by 68°42'11"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from THU |
| More Information: | THU Maps & Info |
Facts about Thomas C. Russell Field (ALX):
- The closest airport to Thomas C. Russell Field (ALX) is Sharpe FieldTuskegee Army Airfield (TGE), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) SSE of ALX.
- The furthest airport from Thomas C. Russell Field (ALX) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,222 miles (18,060 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Thomas C. Russell Field (ALX) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Thomas C. Russell Field's relatively low elevation of 686 feet, planes can take off or land at Thomas C. Russell Field 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.
- This airport is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 and 2009–2013, both of which categorized it as a general aviation facility.
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- The ratification of the treaty in 1951 did not change much, except that the Danish national flag Dannebrog must be side by side with Stars and Stripes on the base.
- Thule Air Base has served as the regional hub for nearby installations, including Cape Atholl, Camp Century, Camp TUTO, Sites 1 and 2, P-Mountain, J-Site, North and South Mountains, and a research rocket firing site.
- There is only a brief period each year in the summer when sea ice thins sufficiently to send supply ships to the base.
- Thule Air Base is home to the 21st Space Wing's global network of sensors providing missile warning, space surveillance and space control to North American Aerospace Defense Command and Air Force Space Command.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- The furthest airport from Thule Air Base (THU) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,883 miles (15,905 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
- In 1959, the airbase was the main staging point for the construction of Camp Century, some 150 mi from the base.
- In the winter of 1956/57 three KC-97 tankers and alternately one of two RB-47H aircraft made polar flights to inspect Soviet defenses.
- After liberation, Denmark ratified the Kauffmann treaty but began efforts to take over U.S.
- Thule AB was constructed in secret under the code name Operation Blue Jay, but the project was made public in September 1952.
