Nonstop flight route between Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Simmons Army Airfield (FBG), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,294 miles (or 14,958 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 Simmons Army Airfield and Mattala Rajapaksa 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 Simmons Army Airfield and Mattala Rajapaksa 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 Simmons Army Airfield (FBG):

• By 1976 Simmons had 176 aircraft assigned and 375 flights operations a day.
• Construction in 1956-1957 converted the field to a permanent army airfield, allowing transfer of air activities from overcrowded Pope Air Force Base to Simmons AAF.
• Simmons Army Airfield (FBG) currently has only 1 runway.
• In June 1952 the 6th Transportation Company arrived with 21 H-19C and two H-13 helicopters.
• Because of Simmons Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 244 feet, planes can take off or land at Simmons Army Airfield 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.
• Simmons AAF has one runway designated 9/27 with an asphalt surface measuring 4,650 by 110 feet.
• The closest airport to Simmons Army Airfield (FBG) is Pope Field (POB), which is located only 5 miles (8 kilometers) WNW of FBG.
• In the early 1980s there were 22 operating activities with total personnel strength of 2,134 and 298 assigned aircraft.
• The furthest airport from Simmons Army Airfield (FBG) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,634 miles (18,723 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• This project will have two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of October 2012.
• It was initially planned to build an international airport serving the south of Sri Lanka at Weerawila, but the plans were scrapped due to environmental concerns.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• The terminal building will be of area 12,000m2 with the capacity to handle 1,000,000 passengers per annum.
• The furthest airport from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,719 miles (18,860 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• Because of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Mattala Rajapaksa International 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 airport was declared open by the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on 18 March 2013 and commenced operations with the landing of a SriLankan Airlines special Airbus A340 flight named 'City of Magam Ruhunupura' with the President on board.
• The numbers given to the airport's sole runway is 05 and 23.