Nonstop flight route between Wheeling, West Virginia, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from HLG to BUA:
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- About this route
- HLG Airport Information
- BUA Airport Information
- Facts about HLG
- Facts about BUA
- Map of Nearest Airports to HLG
- List of Nearest Airports to HLG
- Map of Furthest Airports from HLG
- List of Furthest Airports from HLG
- Map of Nearest Airports to BUA
- List of Nearest Airports to BUA
- Map of Furthest Airports from BUA
- List of Furthest Airports from BUA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Wheeling Ohio County Airport (HLG), Wheeling, West Virginia, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,263 miles (or 13,298 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 Wheeling Ohio County Airport 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 Wheeling Ohio County Airport and Buka Island Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | HLG / KHLG |
Airport Name: | Wheeling Ohio County Airport |
Location: | Wheeling, West Virginia, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 40°10'29"N by 80°38'47"W |
Area Served: | Wheeling, West Virginia |
Operator/Owner: | Ohio County Commission |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 1195 feet (364 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from HLG |
More Information: | HLG Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BUA / AYBK |
Airport Name: | Buka Island Airport |
Location: | Buka Island, Papua New Guinea |
GPS Coordinates: | 5°25'19"S by 154°40'21"E |
Area Served: | Buka Island, Papua New Guinea |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 11 feet (3 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from BUA |
More Information: | BUA Maps & Info |
Facts about Wheeling Ohio County Airport (HLG):
- The furthest airport from Wheeling Ohio County Airport (HLG) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,469 miles (18,458 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to Wheeling Ohio County Airport (HLG) is Washington County Airport (WSG), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) E of HLG.
- Wheeling Ohio County Airport (HLG) has 2 runways.
Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):
- The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
- 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.
- On 13 May 1943 Allied reconnaissance observed 36 fighters and 6 bombers at the airstrip.
- Today the airport is the primary air portal into Bougainville, and even 60 years after the war, wreckage from the military use of the airfield by the Japanese and Americans is easily found in the area.
- Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
- In 2004, the airport experienced some closures due to land disputes.