Nonstop flight route between Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sherman Army AirfieldSherman Air Force Base (FLV), Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,543 miles (or 12,139 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 Sherman Army AirfieldSherman Air Force Base and Buka 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 Sherman Army AirfieldSherman Air Force Base and Buka Island 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 Sherman Army AirfieldSherman Air Force Base (FLV):

• At first a sod surface was used, but in 1930 construction of three cinder runways was initiated.
• The closest airport to Sherman Army AirfieldSherman Air Force Base (FLV) is Kansas City International Airport (MCI), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) ESE of FLV.
• After World War II operations at Sherman sank again to a small scale.
• In the early 1920s such flying was done at an old polo ground about three miles from Sherman.
• The furthest airport from Sherman Army AirfieldSherman Air Force Base (FLV) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,739 miles (17,283 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Sherman Army AirfieldSherman Air Force Base", another name for FLV is "Sherman AAF".
• The airport is at the foot of the Missouri River bluffs that make up the fort.

Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):

• Buka Airport is an airport serving Buka Island in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.
• On 26 July, an Imperial Japanese Navy special detachment was sent to inspect Buka Airfield, but considered it unacceptable as a prospect for a speedily constructed major airfield.
• Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The origins of the airfield begin in 1941 when Australian troops built gun pits around a primitive airstrip in December 1941.
• Because of Buka Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Buka 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.
• The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
• The furthest airport from Buka Island Airport (BUA) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,781 miles (18,959 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.