Nonstop flight route between Kitwe, Zambia and Norfolk, Virginia, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Southdowns Airport (KIW), Kitwe, Zambia and Naval Station Norfolk (NGU), Norfolk, Virginia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,545 miles (or 12,142 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 Southdowns Airport 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 Southdowns Airport 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 Southdowns Airport (KIW):

• Because of Southdowns Airport's high elevation of 4,145 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at KIW. Combined with a high temperature, this could make KIW a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The furthest airport from Southdowns Airport (KIW) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is located 11,920 miles (19,184 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.
• Southdowns Airport (KIW) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Southdowns Airport (KIW) is Kasompe Airport (CGJ), which is located 28 miles (46 kilometers) NW of KIW.

Facts about Naval Station Norfolk (NGU):

• Naval Station Norfolk (NGU) currently has only 1 runway.
• By then, the air detachment was recognized as one of the most important sources of trained naval aviators.
• The closest airport to Naval Station Norfolk (NGU) is Norfolk International Airport (ORF), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ESE of NGU.
• Using the same theories of Eugene Ely's flight nearly 13 years earlier, another milestone was achieved.
• The expansion of shipboard aviation in the 1930s brought renewed emphasis to Naval Air Station Norfolk.
• In addition to being known as "Naval Station Norfolk", another name for NGU is "Chambers Field".
• After war was formally declared following Pearl Harbor, Germany began a U-boat offensive, "Operation Drumbeat", against shipping along the Atlantic coast.
• 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.
• The Hepburn Board had made recommendations to Congress earlier in the year that would also double the size and workload of the station.
• The last permanent structure added had been the administration building, constructed in 1930.
• When the United States became involved in World War I, the size of the Navy's air component was rapidly expanded.