Nonstop flight route between Sisimiut, Greenland and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sisimiut Airport (JHS), Sisimiut, Greenland and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,633 miles (or 4,238 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 Sisimiut Airport and Elmendorf Air Force 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 Sisimiut Airport and Elmendorf Air Force 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 Sisimiut Airport (JHS):

• At the terminal there is a Post Greenland box, a soft drink machine and television, and a small exhibition from the Sisimiut Museum.
• Sisimiut Airport handled 22,955 passengers last year.
• The construction of Sisimiut Airport was part of the regional airport network extension in Greenland, with several airports built to serve STOL aircraft of Air Greenland − the venerable De Havilland Canada Dash-7s acquired in the preceding decade − planes particularly suited to the often severe weather conditions in Greenland.
• The furthest airport from Sisimiut Airport (JHS) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 10,591 miles (17,044 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• The closest airport to Sisimiut Airport (JHS) is Attu Heliport (QGQ), which is located 68 miles (110 kilometers) N of JHS.
• Sisimiut Airport (JHS) currently has only 1 runway.
• There is no deicing equipment at the airport, which is costly and problematic in Greenlandic winter.
• Because of Sisimiut Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at Sisimiut 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.
• For scheduled flights, the airport is served exclusively by Air Greenland, serving as a fly-through destination with no aircraft stationed onsite.
• In addition to being known as "Sisimiut Airport", other names for JHS include "Mittarfik Sisimiut" and "Sisimiut Lufthavn".

Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• The late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s brought about a gradual, but significant decline in air defense forces in Alaska due to mission changes and the demands of the Vietnam War.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• Construction on Elmendorf Field began on 8 June 1940, as a major and permanent military airfield near Anchorage.
• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• The furthest airport from Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,542 miles (16,965 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• On 28 July 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft practicing for an upcoming airshow crashed into a wooded area within the base, killing all four air crew members.
• The strategic importance of Elmendorf AFB was graphically realized during the spring of 1980 when the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed eight of its F-4Es to Korea to participate in exercise Team Spirit.