Nonstop flight route between Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from BFF to BUA:
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- About this route
- BFF Airport Information
- BUA Airport Information
- Facts about BFF
- Facts about BUA
- Map of Nearest Airports to BFF
- List of Nearest Airports to BFF
- Map of Furthest Airports from BFF
- List of Furthest Airports from BFF
- Map of Nearest Airports to BUA
- List of Nearest Airports to BUA
- Map of Furthest Airports from BUA
- List of Furthest Airports from BUA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF), Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,071 miles (or 11,380 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 Western Nebraska Regional Airport and Buka Island 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 Western Nebraska Regional Airport and Buka Island Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BFF / KBFF |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 41°52'26"N by 103°35'44"W |
Area Served: | Scottsbluff, Nebraska |
Operator/Owner: | Airport Authority of Scotts Bluff County |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 3967 feet (1,209 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from BFF |
More Information: | BFF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BUA / AYBK |
Airport Name: | Buka Island Airport |
Location: | Buka Island, Papua New Guinea |
GPS Coordinates: | 5°25'19"S by 154°40'21"E |
Area Served: | Buka Island, Papua New Guinea |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 11 feet (3 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from BUA |
More Information: | BUA Maps & Info |
Facts about Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF):
- In addition to being known as "Western Nebraska Regional Airport", other names for BFF include "William B. Heilig Field" and "(former Scottsbluff Army Airfield)".
- Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) has 2 runways.
- Western Nebraska Regional Airport opened in 1934.
- Western Airlines DC-3s were at Scottsbluff by 1945 and United appeared in 1953-54.
- In 1944 base command was transferred from Second Air Force to the 1st Troop Carrier Command, and became a satellite field of Alliance Army Airfield.
- The closest airport to Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) is Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR), which is located 32 miles (51 kilometers) WNW of BFF.
- The furthest airport from Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,729 miles (17,266 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):
- Because of Buka Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Buka Island 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 Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
- The origins of the airfield begin in 1941 when Australian troops built gun pits around a primitive airstrip in December 1941.
- Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Buka Island Airport (BUA) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,781 miles (18,959 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
- On 26 July, an Imperial Japanese Navy special detachment was sent to inspect Buka Airfield, but considered it unacceptable as a prospect for a speedily constructed major airfield.