Nonstop flight route between Diomede, Alaska, United States and Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DIO to LAY:
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- About this route
- DIO Airport Information
- LAY Airport Information
- Facts about DIO
- Facts about LAY
- Map of Nearest Airports to DIO
- List of Nearest Airports to DIO
- Map of Furthest Airports from DIO
- List of Furthest Airports from DIO
- Map of Nearest Airports to LAY
- List of Nearest Airports to LAY
- Map of Furthest Airports from LAY
- List of Furthest Airports from LAY
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) (DIO), Diomede, Alaska, United States and Ladysmith Airport (LAY), Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,746 miles (or 15,684 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 Ladysmith 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 Ladysmith Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DIO / |
Airport Name: | Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) |
Location: | Diomede, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 65°45'29"N by 168°57'6"W |
Elevation: | 0 feet (0 meters) |
View all routes: | Routes from DIO |
More Information: | DIO Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | LAY / FALY |
Airport Name: | Ladysmith Airport |
Location: | Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
GPS Coordinates: | 28°34'47"S by 29°45'11"E |
Operator/Owner: | Municipal |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 3548 feet (1,081 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from LAY |
More Information: | LAY Maps & Info |
Facts about Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) (DIO):
- Today there are about 30 buildings on the island, including the residential housing that was mainly built in the 1970s and 1980s.
- In the city the population was spread out with 43.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older.
- After the Cold War ended in the early 1990s, an interest of reuniting with families across the Bering Strait revived.
- 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 current location of the city, which is believed to be at least 3,000 years old by some archaeologists, was originally a spring hunting campsite and the early explorers from the west found the Iñupiat at Diomede had an advanced culture including their elaborate whale hunting ceremonies.
- The closest airport to Diomede Heliport (FAA: DM2) (DIO) is Wales Airport (WAA), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) ESE of DIO.
- Employment on the island is mostly limited to the city, post office and school.
- 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 Ladysmith Airport (LAY):
- Ladysmith Airport (LAY) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Ladysmith Airport (LAY) is Mokhotlong Airport (MKH), which is located 64 miles (102 kilometers) SW of LAY.
- The furthest airport from Ladysmith Airport (LAY) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,789 miles (18,972 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.