Nonstop flight route between Kitale, Kenya and Pituffik, Greenland:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kitale Airport (KTL), Kitale, Kenya and Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,371 miles (or 10,253 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 Kitale Airport and Thule Air 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 Kitale Airport and Thule Air 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 Kitale Airport (KTL):

• Kitale Airport is located in Trans-Nzoia District, Rift Valley Province, in the town of Kitale, in northwestern Kenya, close to the International border with the Republic of Uganda.
• Its location is approximately 336 kilometres, by air, northwest of Nairobi International Airport, the country’s largest civilian airport.
• Kitale Airport (KTL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Kitale Airport (KTL) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is located 11,701 miles (18,832 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.
• Because of Kitale Airport's high elevation of 6,070 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at KTL. Combined with a high temperature, this could make KTL a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The closest airport to Kitale Airport (KTL) is Eldoret International Airport (EDL), which is located 44 miles (71 kilometers) SSE of KTL.

Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):

• The furthest airport from Thule Air Base (THU) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,883 miles (15,905 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• Late 1950s the DEW 1 to 4 where build as "weather stations", Thule Air Base would act as an supply station for the DYE bases.
• A delegation from NATO's Parliamentary Assembly visited Thule in early September 2010 and were told by the base commander that, at that time, approximately 600 personnel were serving at Thule, a mix of mostly U.S.
• The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
• Originally established as a Strategic Air Command installation, Thule would periodically serve as a dispersal base for B-36 Peacemaker and B-47 Stratojet aircraft during the 1950s, as well as providing an ideal site to test the operability and maintainability of these weapon systems in extreme cold weather.
• The ratification of the treaty in 1951 did not change much, except that the Danish national flag Dannebrog must be side by side with Stars and Stripes on the base.
• In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
• Thule Air Base is home to the 21st Space Wing's global network of sensors providing missile warning, space surveillance and space control to North American Aerospace Defense Command and Air Force Space Command.