Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Marham, Norfolk, East Anglia, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and RAF Marham (KNF), Marham, Norfolk, East Anglia, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,478 miles (or 8,817 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and RAF Marham, 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and RAF Marham. 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,719 miles (18,860 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• The Runway dimensions are 3500m * 60m with 7.5m paved shoulders either side and 260m Runway safety area on both runway ends.
• The second stage of the HIA project expansion works at the airport is to be completed by 2015.
• Because of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Mattala Rajapaksa International 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.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• The air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.
• Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.

Facts about RAF Marham (KNF):

• Formerly the Tactical Armament Squadron, its mission statement is "To deliver and develop specialist, expeditionary armament capability to support UK defence policy".
• In 2008, RAF Marham was officially granted the Freedom of the City of Norwich - and as such, is allowed to march through the streets of Norwich with 'bayonets fixed'.
• The current Station Commander is dual-hatted.
• Opened in August 1916 close to the former Royal Naval Air Station Narborough, later RAF Narborough, the Marham base was originally a military night landing ground on an 80-acre site within the boundary of the present day RAF Marham.
• The GR4A is the reconnaissance variant of the Panavia Tornado but the modern reconnaissance equipment used on the Tornado is interchangeable between the GR4 and GR4A variants, and as such each squadron uses a mix of the two variants.
• The furthest airport from RAF Marham (KNF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,811 miles (19,008 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to RAF Marham (KNF) is RAF Lakenheath (LKZ), which is located only 17 miles (27 kilometers) S of KNF.