Nonstop flight route between Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Wheeler AAF (HHI), Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,702 miles (or 5,957 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 Wheeler AAF 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 Wheeler AAF 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 Wheeler AAF (HHI):

• On 6 February 1922, a detachment of 20 enlisted men from Luke Field, proceeded to Schofield Barracks, under Lieutenant William T.
• Because of Wheeler AAF's relatively low elevation of 843 feet, planes can take off or land at Wheeler AAF 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.
• As of the 2000 Census, there were 2,829 people, 739 households, and 724 families residing on the base.
• In June 1923, 13 months after the designation of the new flying field, shop hangars, airplane hangars, and oil storage tanks were erected.
• Wheeler AAF (HHI) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 1 November 1991, the Army held a simple ceremony to signify their takeover of the base, then changed the sign at the main gate to Wheeler Army Airfield.
• The furthest airport from Wheeler AAF (HHI) is Ghanzi Airport (GNZ), which is nearly antipodal to Wheeler AAF (meaning Wheeler AAF is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ghanzi Airport), and is located 12,413 miles (19,976 kilometers) away in Ghanzi, Botswana.
• A subordinate unit of the 15th Air Base Wing, the 15 ABS served as the host organization at Wheeler AFB, which consisted of approximately 1,389 acres of land and facilities valued at over $37 million.
• Wheeler Army Airfield was a primary target and site of the first attack on 7 December 1941, leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
• The closest airport to Wheeler AAF (HHI) is Dillingham Airfield (HDH), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) WNW of HHI.
• By 1940, Wheeler Field had evolved into a primary base for Army Air Corps pursuit aircraft such as the P-40 Warhawk, responsible for air defense of the Hawaiian Islands Territory.

Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):

• The origins of the airfield begin in 1941 when Australian troops built gun pits around a primitive airstrip in December 1941.
• Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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 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.
• The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.