Nonstop flight route between Greenville, South Carolina, United States and Ratmalana, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU), Greenville, South Carolina, United States and Ratmalana Airport (RML), Ratmalana, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,333 miles (or 15,021 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 Greenville Downtown Airport and Ratmalana 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 Greenville Downtown Airport and Ratmalana 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 Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU):

• The Airport Commission recently completed extensive runway, taxiway, and apron improvements, a major terminal renovation, and construction of a new road that made additional land available for development.
• The furthest airport from Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,441 miles (18,413 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The Greenville Downtown Airport is governed by a 5-person appointed Commission authorized by Act 919.
• The closest airport to Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) is Donaldson Center Airport (GDC), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) SSW of GMU.
• GMU opened in 1928 and was initially named Greenville Municipal Airport.
• In addition to being known as "Greenville Downtown Airport", another name for GMU is "(Greenville Municipal Airport)".
• This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a general aviation facility.
• Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) has 2 runways.
• "The staff of the Greenville Downtown Airport is distinguished in its commitment to continually increasing flight safety," said Rusty Chapman, recently retired Manager of the Airports Division, FAA Southern Region.
• Greenville Downtown Airport covers an area of 385 acres at an elevation of 1,048 feet above mean sea level.
• The report notes that GMU is the busiest general aviation airport in South Carolina with nearly 80,000 take-offs and landings annually and more than 245 based aircraft.

Facts about Ratmalana Airport (RML):

• In addition to being known as "Ratmalana Airport", another name for RML is "රත්මලාන ගුවන්තොටුපළஇரத்மலானை விமான நிலைய".
• Because of Ratmalana Airport's relatively low elevation of 16 feet, planes can take off or land at Ratmalana 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.
• Ratmalana Airport (RML) currently has only 1 runway.
• Ratmalana airport was declared open for small international commercial flights.
• In the 1950s, BOAC flew Canadair Argonauts from Ratmalana to London.
• The furthest airport from Ratmalana Airport (RML) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,628 miles (18,713 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• The closest airport to Ratmalana Airport (RML) is Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), which is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) N of RML.