Nonstop flight route between Buka Island, Papua New Guinea and St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia:
Departure Airport:
(5°25'19"S by 154°40'21"E)
Arrival Airport:
(41°20'12"S by 148°16'54"E)
Distance from BUA to HLS:
2,512.63 miles (4,043.67 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- BUA Airport Information
- HLS Airport Information
- Facts about BUA
- Facts about HLS
- Map of Nearest Airports to BUA
- List of Nearest Airports to BUA
- Map of Furthest Airports from BUA
- List of Furthest Airports from BUA
- Map of Nearest Airports to HLS
- List of Nearest Airports to HLS
- Map of Furthest Airports from HLS
- List of Furthest Airports from HLS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea and St Helens Airport (HLS), St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,513 miles (or 4,044 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 Buka Island Airport and St Helens 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 Buka Island Airport and St Helens Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure 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 |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | HLS / YSTH |
| Airport Name: | St Helens Airport |
| Location: | St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 41°20'12"S by 148°16'54"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Break O'Day Council |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 158 feet (48 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from HLS |
| More Information: | HLS Maps & Info |
Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):
- In January 1944, the Allies drove the Japanese out of Buka, and the airfield was used for operations against the Japanese over New Guinea.
- 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.
- 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.
- The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
- Buka Airport is an airport serving Buka Island in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.
- In 2004, the airport experienced some closures due to land disputes.
- It is located at the southern end of the island, near Buka Passage behind the town of Buka, and pre-war Chinatown.
- On 13 May 1943 Allied reconnaissance observed 36 fighters and 6 bombers at the airstrip.
Facts about St Helens Airport (HLS):
- The furthest airport from St Helens Airport (HLS) is Corvo Airport (CVU), which is nearly antipodal to St Helens Airport (meaning St Helens Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Corvo Airport), and is located 12,317 miles (19,823 kilometers) away in Corvo Island, Azores, Portugal.
- Because of St Helens Airport's relatively low elevation of 158 feet, planes can take off or land at St Helens 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 St Helens Airport (HLS) is Launceston Airport (LST), which is located 57 miles (92 kilometers) WSW of HLS.
- St Helens Airport (HLS) currently has only 1 runway.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 70.73 miles (113.82 km) NNW | Nissan Island Airport (IIS) | Nissan Island, Papua New Guinea |     |
| 2 | 94.46 miles (152.01 km) SE | Kieta/Aropa Airport (KIE) | Kieta, Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea | |
| 3 | 136.91 miles (220.34 km) SE | Balalae Airport (BAS) | Ballalae, Solomon Islands | |
| 4 | 148.20 miles (238.51 km) SE | Choiseul Bay Airport (CHY) | Choiseul Bay, Taro Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 5 | 150.79 miles (242.66 km) SSE | Mono Airport (MNY) | Stirling Island, Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands | |
| 6 | 174.66 miles (281.09 km) WNW | Rabaul Airport (RAB) | Rabaul, Papua New Guinea | |
| 7 | 195.74 miles (315.01 km) NW | Namatanai Airport (ATN) | Namatanai, Papua New Guinea | |
| 8 | 198.38 miles (319.26 km) W | Manguna Airport (MFO) | Manguna, Papua New Guinea | |
| 9 | 216.52 miles (348.46 km) NW | Lihir Island Regional Airport (LNV) | Londolovit, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea | |
| 10 | 218.28 miles (351.28 km) W | Jacquinot Bay Airport (JAQ) | Jacquinot Bay, Papua New Guinea | |
| 11 | 238.34 miles (383.57 km) SE | Nusatupe Airport (GZO) | Gizo / Nusatupe, Western Province, Solomon Islands | |
| 12 | 239.73 miles (385.81 km) ESE | Kaghau Airport (KGE) | Kagau Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 13 | 268.10 miles (431.47 km) SE | Munda Airport (MUA) | Munda, New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 14 | 288.56 miles (464.39 km) SSW | Guasopa Airport (GAZ) | Guasopa, Papua New Guinea | |
| 15 | 293.54 miles (472.41 km) W | Hoskins Airport (HKN) | Hoskins, Papua New Guinea | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,780.59 miles (18,958.98 km) N | São Filipe Airport (SFL) | Fogo, Cape Verde | |
| 2 | 11,768.57 miles (18,939.63 km) N | Praia International Airport (RAI) | Praia, Cape Verde | |
| 3 | 11,768.55 miles (18,939.59 km) N | Mosteiros Airport (MTI) | Mosteiros, Cape Verde | |
| 4 | 11,749.15 miles (18,908.38 km) NNW | Maio Airport (MMO) | Maio, Cape Verde | |
| 5 | 11,678.23 miles (18,794.25 km) NNW | Aristides Pereira International Airport (BVC) | Boa Vista, Cape Verde | |
| 6 | 11,678.02 miles (18,793.91 km) NW | Cap Skirring Airport (CSK) | Cap Skirring, Senegal | |
| 7 | 11,671.84 miles (18,783.96 km) WNW | Bubaque Airport (BQE) | Bubaque, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 8 | 11,662.10 miles (18,768.29 km) N | Preguiça Airport (SNE) | São Nicolau, Cape Verde | |
| 9 | 11,648.17 miles (18,745.87 km) N | Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE) | São Vicente, Cape Verde | |
| 10 | 11,647.20 miles (18,744.31 km) NW | Ziguinchor Airport (ZIG) | Ziguinchor, Senegal | |
| 11 | 11,639.22 miles (18,731.47 km) NW | Osvaldo Vieira International Airport (OXB) | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 12 | 11,638.24 miles (18,729.88 km) NNW | Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID) | Sal Island, Cape Verde | |
| 13 | 11,631.66 miles (18,719.29 km) NW | Banjul International Airport (BJL) | Banjul, Gambia | |
| 14 | 11,629.96 miles (18,716.56 km) NE | Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) | Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 15 | 11,622.66 miles (18,704.82 km) N | Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO) | Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 57.09 miles (91.88 km) WSW | Launceston Airport (LST) | Launceston, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 2 | 77.01 miles (123.93 km) WNW | George Town Aerodrome (GEE) | George Town, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 3 | 87.36 miles (140.59 km) N | Flinders Island Airport (FLS) | Flinders Island, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 4 | 96.86 miles (155.88 km) W | Devonport Airport (DPO) | Devonport, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 5 | 110.94 miles (178.53 km) SSW | Hobart International Airport (HBA) | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 6 | 134.69 miles (216.77 km) W | Burnie Airport (BWT) | Burnie, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 7 | 170.12 miles (273.78 km) W | Smithton Airport (SIO) | Smithton, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 8 | 241.32 miles (388.37 km) N | Bairnsdale Aerodrome (BSJ) | Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia | |
| 9 | 251.98 miles (405.52 km) WNW | King Island Airport (KNS) | Currie, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 10 | 287.23 miles (462.24 km) NW | Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW) | Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia | |
| 11 | 300.22 miles (483.16 km) NW | Geelong Airport (GEX) | Grovedale, Victoria, Australia | |
| 12 | 300.66 miles (483.86 km) N | Mount Hotham Airport (MHU) | Mount Hotham, Victoria, Australia | |
| 13 | 307.52 miles (494.90 km) NW | Essendon Airport (MEB) | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 14 | 312.45 miles (502.84 km) NW | Melbourne Airport (MEL) | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 15 | 315.73 miles (508.12 km) NW | Avalon Airport (AVV) | Avalon, Victoria, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,317.39 miles (19,822.86 km) NNW | Corvo Airport (CVU) | Corvo Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 2 | 12,303.39 miles (19,800.33 km) NNW | Flores Airport (FLW) | Flores Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 3 | 12,187.96 miles (19,614.57 km) NW | Graciosa Airport (GRW) | Graciosa Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 4 | 12,185.49 miles (19,610.60 km) NW | Horta International Airport (HOR) | Horta, Azores, Portugal | |
| 5 | 12,177.83 miles (19,598.28 km) NW | Pico Airport (PIX) | Pico Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 6 | 12,134.30 miles (19,528.22 km) NW | Lajes Air Base (TER) | Lajes, Azores, Portugal | |
| 7 | 12,031.26 miles (19,362.39 km) NW | João Paulo II Airport (PDL) | Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal | |
| 8 | 11,974.54 miles (19,271.10 km) NW | Santa Maria Airport (SMA) | Santa Maria, Portugal | |
| 9 | 11,421.39 miles (18,380.90 km) WNW | Madeira Airport (FNC) | Funchal, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 10 | 11,418.70 miles (18,376.57 km) WNW | Porto Santo Airport (PXO) | Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 11 | 11,317.17 miles (18,213.17 km) ENE | St. John's International Airport (YYT) | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada | |
| 12 | 11,258.38 miles (18,118.57 km) NW | La Palma Airport (SPC) | La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 13 | 11,249.17 miles (18,103.75 km) W | Vigo Airport (VGO) | Vigo, Galicia, Spain | |
| 14 | 11,244.10 miles (18,095.58 km) W | Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) | Porto, Portugal | |
| 15 | 11,241.46 miles (18,091.33 km) WNW | Santiago de Compostela Airport (SCQ) | Santiago de Compostela, Spain | |