Nonstop flight route between Klawock, Alaska, United States and Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Klawock Airport (KLW), Klawock, Alaska, United States and King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,481 miles (or 16,868 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 Klawock Airport and King Shaka International, 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 Klawock Airport and King Shaka International. 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 Klawock Airport (KLW):

• During a post-accident inspection, maintenance personnel discovered a broken landing gear oleo attachment bracket on the left main landing gear strut assembly.
• Klawock Airport (KLW) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Klawock Airport (KLW) is Craig Seaplane Base (CGA), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSW of KLW.
• On April 6, 2005, about 14:35 Alaska daylight time, a twin-engine Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander airplane, N29884, sustained substantial damage following a main landing gear component failure and subsequent loss of control while landing at the Klawock Airport, Klawock, Alaska.
• In addition to being known as "Klawock Airport", another name for KLW is "AKW".
• Because of Klawock Airport's relatively low elevation of 80 feet, planes can take off or land at Klawock 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 Klawock Airport (KLW) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 10,638 miles (17,120 kilometers) away in Port Alfred, South Africa.
• As the pilot applied the brakes, the airplane veered to the left, and he was unable to keep the plane on the runway surface.

Facts about King Shaka International (DUR):

• The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• One of the objectives of the cargo terminal is to recapture local air freight traffic from JNB.
• The furthest airport from King Shaka International (DUR) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,682 miles (18,801 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• Although the larger airport was built to grow the area's international services, it is also a key airport for domestic services throughout South Africa, serving the "Golden Triangle" between Cape Town International Airport, OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, and KSIA itself with 7 airlines.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 8 December 2009, it was reported that "King Shaka International Airport" was indeed the most popular name for the new airport.
• King Shaka International Airport was first conceptualised in the 1970s, with construction beginning in 1973.
• As a result, a study into the risks of bird strikes at KSIA was commissioned, with special attention being paid to the Barn Swallows at Mount Moreland.
• Because of King Shaka International's relatively low elevation of 295 feet, planes can take off or land at King Shaka International 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.