Nonstop flight route between College Park, Maryland, United States and Pituffik, Greenland:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from CGS to THU:
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- About this route
- CGS Airport Information
- THU Airport Information
- Facts about CGS
- Facts about THU
- Map of Nearest Airports to CGS
- List of Nearest Airports to CGS
- Map of Furthest Airports from CGS
- List of Furthest Airports from CGS
- 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 College Park Airport (CGS), College Park, Maryland, United States and Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,607 miles (or 4,195 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 College Park Airport 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 College Park Airport 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: | CGS / KCGS |
| Airport Name: | College Park Airport |
| Location: | College Park, Maryland, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 38°58'50"N by 76°55'20"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 48 feet (15 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from CGS |
| More Information: | CGS 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 College Park Airport (CGS):
- Since the 9/11 attacks, and owing to the airport's proximity to the national capital, the operations of the airport have been severely restricted by the Transportation Security Administration in the interest of national security, but civilian pilots are still free to use the airport after going through a one-time background check procedure.
- Because of College Park Airport's relatively low elevation of 48 feet, planes can take off or land at College Park 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 College Park Airport (CGS) is Bolling Air Force Base (BOF), which is located only 11 miles (17 kilometers) SSW of CGS.
- The furthest airport from College Park Airport (CGS) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,684 miles (18,803 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- College Park Airport (CGS) currently has only 1 runway.
- The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission purchased the Airport in 1973 and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
- In 1911, the nation's first military aviation school was opened at College Park, with newly trained pilots then-Lt.
- In 1920, Emile and Henry Berliner brought their theories of vertical flight to the field and in 1924 made the first controlled helicopter flight.
- In April 1910, the Aero Club of America chapters from Washington and Baltimore chose the College Park Airport for the next James Gordon Bennett Race.
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- In 1957 construction began on 4 Nike Missile sites around the base, and they and their radar systems were operational by the end of 1958.
- 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.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of 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.
- Knud Rasmussen was the first to recognize the Pituffik plain as ideal for an airport.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- Thule AB was constructed in secret under the code name Operation Blue Jay, but the project was made public in September 1952.
- In 1961, a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar was constructed at "J-Site," 21 km northeast of main base.
