Nonstop flight route between Edwards, California, United States and Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from EDW to HPA:
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- About this route
- EDW Airport Information
- HPA Airport Information
- Facts about EDW
- Facts about HPA
- Map of Nearest Airports to EDW
- List of Nearest Airports to EDW
- Map of Furthest Airports from EDW
- List of Furthest Airports from EDW
- Map of Nearest Airports to HPA
- List of Nearest Airports to HPA
- Map of Furthest Airports from HPA
- List of Furthest Airports from HPA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Edwards Air Force Base (EDW), Edwards, California, United States and Lifuka Island Airport (HPA), Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,288 miles (or 8,511 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 Edwards Air Force Base and Lifuka 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 Edwards Air Force Base and Lifuka 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: | EDW / KEDW |
Airport Name: | Edwards Air Force Base |
Location: | Edwards, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 34°54'20"N by 117°53'0"W |
Operator/Owner: | United States Air Force |
View all routes: | Routes from EDW |
More Information: | EDW Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | HPA / NFTL |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga |
GPS Coordinates: | 19°46'36"S by 174°20'27"W |
Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Civil Aviation |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 31 feet (9 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from HPA |
More Information: | HPA Maps & Info |
Facts about Edwards Air Force Base (EDW):
- A major reason for the growth of Edwards AFB was the nearness of West Coast aircraft manufacturers.
- As with virtually all of the test programs conducted during the war years, most of the actual flight test work on the P-59 was conducted by the contractor.
- At this time, another colorful character in Edwards' history, Pancho Barnes, built her renowned Rancho Oro Verde Fly-Inn Dude Ranch that would be the scene of many parties and celebrations to come.
- There are a vast array of organizations at Edwards that do not fall under the 412th Test Wing.
- The closest airport to Edwards Air Force Base (EDW) is Mojave Air and Space Port (MHV), which is located only 19 miles (30 kilometers) NW of EDW.
- The furthest airport from Edwards Air Force Base (EDW) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,414 miles (18,369 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
- In the spring of 1942, however, the immense volume of flight test already being conducted at Wright Field, in Ohio, was one of the factors driving a search for a new site where a "Top Secret" airplane could undergo tests.
Facts about Lifuka Island Airport (HPA):
- Because of Lifuka Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 31 feet, planes can take off or land at Lifuka 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.
- In addition to being known as "Lifuka Island Airport", another name for HPA is "Salote Pilolevu Airport".
- The furthest airport from Lifuka Island Airport (HPA) is In Guezzam Airport (INF), which is nearly antipodal to Lifuka Island Airport (meaning Lifuka Island Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from In Guezzam Airport), and is located 12,421 miles (19,989 kilometers) away in In Guezzam, Algeria.
- Lifuka Island Airport (HPA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Lifuka Island Airport (HPA) is Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU), which is located 114 miles (183 kilometers) SSW of HPA.