Nonstop flight route between East London, South Africa and Mobile, Alabama, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between East London Airport (ELS), East London, South Africa and Mobile Regional Airport (MOB), Mobile, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,741 miles (or 14,068 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 East London Airport and Mobile Regional 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 East London Airport and Mobile Regional 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 East London Airport (ELS):

• East London Airport (ELS) has 2 runways.
• The airport was renamed in 1994.
• The airport had an inauspicious beginning in 1927, when Lieut Colonel Alistair Miller asked the East London town council to help establish a municipal aerodrome at Woodbrook, west of the city.
• The closest airport to East London Airport (ELS) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 65 miles (105 kilometers) WSW of ELS.
• Because of East London Airport's relatively low elevation of 436 feet, planes can take off or land at East London 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 furthest airport from East London Airport (ELS) is Kalaupapa Airport (LUP), which is located 11,569 miles (18,618 kilometers) away in Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States.

Facts about Mobile Regional Airport (MOB):

• The Army used this airport as a basic pilot training airfield, under contract to Waterman Airlines.
• United Airlines via United Express previously served Mobile from its hubs in Chicago and Washington D.C.
• Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) has 2 runways.
• Mobile Regional Airport covers an area of 1,717 acres at an elevation of 219 feet above mean sea level.
• It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.
• In addition to being known as "Mobile Regional Airport", other names for MOB include "Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile" and "(former Bates Army Airfield)".
• In 1944 with the reduced demand for pilots, the Army ended the flying training, and Domestic Transport Division of Air Transport Command used the airport as a transport airfield.
• The closest airport to Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) is Mobile Downtown Airport (BFM), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) ESE of MOB.
• The furthest airport from Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,118 miles (17,893 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Southern Airways also served Mobile.
• Because of Mobile Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 219 feet, planes can take off or land at Mobile Regional 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.