Nonstop flight route between Hachinohe, Honshū, Japan and Norfolk, Virginia, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base (HHE), Hachinohe, Honshū, Japan and Naval Station Norfolk (NGU), Norfolk, Virginia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,572 miles (or 10,576 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 JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base and Naval Station Norfolk, 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 JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base and Naval Station Norfolk. 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 JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base (HHE):

• In addition to being known as "JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base", other names for HHE include "八戸航空基地" and "Hachinohe Koku-kichi".
• With the start of the Korean War in 1950, the base was turned over to the Japanese National Police Reserve, the immediate predecessor to the Japan Defense Agency.
• The furthest airport from JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base (HHE) is Rio Grande Regional Airport (RIG), which is located 11,480 miles (18,476 kilometers) away in Rio Grande, Brazil.
• The closest airport to JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base (HHE) is Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō (MSJ), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNW of HHE.
• JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base (HHE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base's relatively low elevation of 152 feet, planes can take off or land at JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base 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.
• JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base was initially founded as a training field for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in 1941.

Facts about Naval Station Norfolk (NGU):

• Using the same theories of Eugene Ely's flight nearly 13 years earlier, another milestone was achieved.
• When the United States became involved in World War I, the size of the Navy's air component was rapidly expanded.
• Air Operations conducts over 100,000 flight operations each year, an average of 275 flights per day or one every six minutes.
• The last permanent structure added had been the administration building, constructed in 1930.
• The closest airport to Naval Station Norfolk (NGU) is Norfolk International Airport (ORF), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ESE of NGU.
• The furthest airport from Naval Station Norfolk (NGU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,762 miles (18,929 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Naval Station Norfolk", another name for NGU is "Chambers Field".
• The increased pace of operations made it necessary to further physical plant growth.
• Naval Station Norfolk (NGU) currently has only 1 runway.
• World War II profoundly changed the appearance of the Naval Station.