Nonstop flight route between Diomede, Alaska, United States and Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) (DIO), Diomede, Alaska, United States and Erbil International Airport (EBL), Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,173 miles (or 8,325 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 Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) and Erbil International 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 Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) and Erbil International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) (DIO):

• The island's only school, and likely the most isolated school in the United States, the Diomede School has grades from Pre-K through 12 and approximately 40 students and 5 teachers.
• The furthest airport from Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) (DIO) is Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport (TNM), which is located 10,411 miles (16,755 kilometers) away in Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica.
• The closest airport to Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) (DIO) is Wales Airport (WAA), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) ESE of DIO.
• Little Diomede Island is located about 25 miles west from the mainland, in the middle of the Bering Strait.
• The first square building in the island was a small Catholic church, which was planned by Father Bellarmine Lafortune in 1935 and built by Father Thomas Cunningham during his residency in the island between 1936 and 1947.
• As of the census of 2000, there were 146 people, 43 households, and 31 families residing in the city.
• Despite being separated by the new border after the Alaska purchase in 1867, Big Diomede had been home to families now living on Little Diomede and the people living on the American side of the border were very close relatives to those living on the Russian side.
• Because of Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2)'s relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) 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.

Facts about Erbil International Airport (EBL):

• The old airport of Erbil covered 7,000 m2, and was divided into departure and arrival halls.
• At a cost of $US550 million, constructed by a Turkish company, the new airport and terminal building opened on 3 March 2010.
• Erbil International Airport (EBL) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Erbil International Airport (EBL) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,525 miles (18,548 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• The closest airport to Erbil International Airport (EBL) is Sulaimaniyah International Airport (ISU), which is located 89 miles (143 kilometers) ESE of EBL.
• In addition to being known as "Erbil International Airport", other names for EBL include "Firokaxaney Nêwdewletî Hewlêr" and "فڕۆکه‌خانه‌ی نێوده‌وڵه‌تی هه‌ولێر".