Nonstop flight route between Goodyear, Arizona, United States and Pituffik, Greenland:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR), Goodyear, Arizona, United States and Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,278 miles (or 5,275 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 Phoenix Goodyear Airport and Thule Air Base, 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 Phoenix Goodyear Airport and Thule Air Base. 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 Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR):

• Following the closure of NAS Litchfield Park in 1968, the city of Phoenix purchased the airport as a general aviation reliever airport for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
• The closest airport to Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR) is Luke Air Force BaseLuke Field (LUF), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) N of GYR.
• The furthest airport from Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,456 miles (18,437 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Different aircraft types stored in 1959
• Because of Phoenix Goodyear Airport's relatively low elevation of 968 feet, planes can take off or land at Phoenix Goodyear 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.
• Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR) currently has only 1 runway.
• Phoenix Goodyear Airport covers 789 acres.

Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):

• The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
• In 1961, a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar was constructed at "J-Site," 21 km northeast of main base.
• The furthest airport from Thule Air Base (THU) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,883 miles (15,905 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
• Thule Air Base is also home to the 821st Air Base Group and is responsible for air base support within the Thule Defense Area for the multinational population of "Team Thule." The base hosts the 12th Space Warning Squadron which operates a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System designed to detect and track ICBMs launched against North America.
• After liberation, Denmark ratified the Kauffmann treaty but began efforts to take over U.S.
• In the winter of 1956/57 three KC-97 tankers and alternately one of two RB-47H aircraft made polar flights to inspect Soviet defenses.
• In 1957 construction began on 4 Nike Missile sites around the base, and they and their radar systems were operational by the end of 1958.
• Originally established as a Strategic Air Command installation, Thule would periodically serve as a dispersal base for B-36 Peacemaker and B-47 Stratojet aircraft during the 1950s, as well as providing an ideal site to test the operability and maintainability of these weapon systems in extreme cold weather.