Nonstop flight route between West Lafayette, Indiana, United States and Mendi, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
(40°24'43"N by 86°56'12"W)
Arrival Airport:
(6°8'51"S by 143°39'25"E)
Distance from LAF to MDU:
8,523.79 miles (13,717.68 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- LAF Airport Information
- MDU Airport Information
- Facts about LAF
- Facts about MDU
- Map of Nearest Airports to LAF
- List of Nearest Airports to LAF
- Map of Furthest Airports from LAF
- List of Furthest Airports from LAF
- Map of Nearest Airports to MDU
- List of Nearest Airports to MDU
- Map of Furthest Airports from MDU
- List of Furthest Airports from MDU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Purdue University Airport (LAF), West Lafayette, Indiana, United States and Mendi Airport (MDU), Mendi, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,524 miles (or 13,718 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 Purdue University Airport and Mendi Airport, 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 Purdue University Airport and Mendi Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | LAF / KLAF |
| Airport Name: | Purdue University Airport |
| Location: | West Lafayette, Indiana, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 40°24'43"N by 86°56'12"W |
| Area Served: | Lafayette, Indiana |
| Operator/Owner: | Purdue University |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 606 feet (185 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from LAF |
| More Information: | LAF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MDU / AYMN |
| Airport Name: | Mendi Airport |
| Location: | Mendi, Papua New Guinea |
| GPS Coordinates: | 6°8'51"S by 143°39'25"E |
| Elevation: | 5680 feet (1,731 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MDU |
| More Information: | MDU Maps & Info |
Facts about Purdue University Airport (LAF):
- Because of Purdue University Airport's relatively low elevation of 606 feet, planes can take off or land at Purdue University 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 Purdue University Airport (LAF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,148 miles (17,941 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to Purdue University Airport (LAF) is Kentland Municipal Airport (KKT), which is located 35 miles (57 kilometers) NW of LAF.
- The airport covers an area of 527 acres at an elevation of 606 feet above mean sea level.
- Purdue University Airport (LAF) has 2 runways.
- In the early 60s, runway 10-28 and a larger hangar were built to support the Midwest Program on Airborne Television Instruction with two DC-6 aircraft.
Facts about Mendi Airport (MDU):
- Because of Mendi Airport's high elevation of 5,680 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at MDU. Combined with a high temperature, this could make MDU a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Mendi Airport (MDU) is Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport (FOR), which is located 11,735 miles (18,885 kilometers) away in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- Mendi Airport (MDU) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Mendi Airport (MDU) is Moro Airport (MXH), which is located 32 miles (52 kilometers) WSW of MDU.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 35.18 miles (56.62 km) NW | Kentland Municipal Airport (KKT) | Kentland, Indiana, United States |     |
| 2 | 37.70 miles (60.67 km) WSW | Vermilion Regional Airport (DNV) | Danville, Illinois, United States | |
| 3 | 39.18 miles (63.05 km) NNW | Jasper County Airport (RNZ) | Rensselaer, Indiana, United States | |
| 4 | 44.31 miles (71.32 km) ENE | Grissom Air Reserve Base (GUS) | Peru, Indiana, United States | |
| 5 | 46.84 miles (75.38 km) E | Kokomo Municipal Airport (OKK) | Kokomo, Indiana, United States | |
| 6 | 58.82 miles (94.67 km) SE | Indianapolis International Airport (IND) | Indianapolis, Indiana, United States | |
| 7 | 60.01 miles (96.57 km) NE | Fulton County Airport (RCR) | Rochester, Indiana, United States | |
| 8 | 65.88 miles (106.03 km) NW | Greater Kankakee Airport (IKK) | Kankakee, Illinois, United States | |
| 9 | 66.32 miles (106.73 km) E | Marion Municipal Airport (MZZ) | Marion, Indiana, United States | |
| 10 | 69.23 miles (111.41 km) SSW | Terre Haute International Airport Hulman Field (HUF) | Terre Haute, Indiana, United States | |
| 11 | 72.07 miles (115.98 km) N | Porter County Regional Airport (VPZ) | Valparaiso, Indiana, United States | |
| 12 | 72.89 miles (117.30 km) ESE | Anderson Municipal Airport (AID) | Anderson, Indiana, United States | |
| 13 | 73.75 miles (118.69 km) NNE | Plymouth Municipal Airport (PLY) | Plymouth, Indiana, United States | |
| 14 | 75.30 miles (121.18 km) WSW | University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) | Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, United States | |
| 15 | 76.64 miles (123.34 km) ESE | Pope Field (GFD) | Greenfield, Indiana, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,147.75 miles (17,940.52 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,124.78 miles (17,903.55 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,104.44 miles (17,870.82 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,100.77 miles (17,864.92 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,060.95 miles (17,800.82 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,047.06 miles (17,778.47 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,037.15 miles (17,762.53 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,037.03 miles (17,762.33 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,020.06 miles (17,735.03 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,009.29 miles (17,717.69 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,973.64 miles (17,660.32 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,945.09 miles (17,614.37 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,928.26 miles (17,587.28 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,921.42 miles (17,576.28 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,889.99 miles (17,525.70 km) SW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 32.41 miles (52.16 km) WSW | Moro Airport (MXH) | Moro, Papua New Guinea | |
| 2 | 49.17 miles (79.14 km) ENE | Mount Hagen Airport (HGU) | Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea | |
| 3 | 84.20 miles (135.51 km) NNE | Sangapi Airport (SGK) | Sangapi, Papua New Guinea | |
| 4 | 90.62 miles (145.84 km) E | Chimbu Airport (CMU) | Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea | |
| 5 | 97.15 miles (156.34 km) SSE | Kikori Airport (KRI) | Kikori, Papua New Guinea | |
| 6 | 101.43 miles (163.23 km) NE | Aiome Airport (AIE) | Aiome, Papua New Guinea | |
| 7 | 115.37 miles (185.67 km) SSW | Sasereme Airport (TDS) | Sasereme, Papua New Guinea | |
| 8 | 119.26 miles (191.93 km) E | Goroka Airport (GKA) | Goroka, Papua New Guinea | |
| 9 | 122.70 miles (197.47 km) SE | Baimuru Airport (VMU) | Baimuru, Papua New Guinea | |
| 10 | 138.30 miles (222.58 km) WNW | Biangabip Airport (BPK) | Biangabip, Papua New Guinea | |
| 11 | 143.15 miles (230.38 km) SSW | Awaba Airport (AWB) | Awaba, Papua New Guinea | |
| 12 | 154.87 miles (249.24 km) E | Aiyura Airport (AYU) | Aiyura, Papua New Guinea | |
| 13 | 157.88 miles (254.09 km) NW | Frieda River Airport (FAQ) | Frieda River, Papua New Guinea | |
| 14 | 157.89 miles (254.10 km) ESE | Andakombe Airport (ADC) | Andakombe, Papua New Guinea | |
| 15 | 158.37 miles (254.87 km) E | Gusap Airport (GAP) | Gusap, Papua New Guinea | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,734.70 miles (18,885.13 km) NNE | Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport (FOR) | Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil | |
| 2 | 11,709.94 miles (18,845.27 km) NNE | Parnaíba–Prefeito Dr. João Silva Filho International Airport (PHB) | Parnaiba, Piaui, Brazil | |
| 3 | 11,694.80 miles (18,820.91 km) NNW | Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) | Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 4 | 11,676.98 miles (18,792.23 km) NE | Barreirinhas Airport (BRB) | Barreirinhas, Maranhão, Brazil | |
| 5 | 11,649.89 miles (18,748.63 km) N | Gov. Dix-Sept Rosado Airport (MVF) | Mossoro, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil | |
| 6 | 11,623.91 miles (18,706.82 km) NE | Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport (Tirirical) (SLZ) | São Luís, Brazil | |
| 7 | 11,600.40 miles (18,668.98 km) N | Augusto Severo International Airport (NAT) | Natal, Brazil | |
| 8 | 11,542.58 miles (18,575.94 km) NNE | Teresina–Senador Petrônio Portella Airport (THE) | Teresina, Piauí, Brazil | |
| 9 | 11,513.29 miles (18,528.79 km) S | Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA) | João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 10 | 11,509.27 miles (18,522.32 km) S | Presidente João Suassuna Airport (CPV) | Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 11 | 11,451.03 miles (18,428.60 km) ENE | Belém/Val de Cans–Júlio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport (BEL) | Belém, Pará, Brazil | |
| 12 | 11,445.71 miles (18,420.04 km) S | Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport (REC) | Recife, Brazil | |
| 13 | 11,430.70 miles (18,395.88 km) NW | São Filipe Airport (SFL) | Fogo, Cape Verde | |
| 14 | 11,416.57 miles (18,373.14 km) NW | Mosteiros Airport (MTI) | Mosteiros, Cape Verde | |
| 15 | 11,375.19 miles (18,306.54 km) NW | Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE) | São Vicente, Cape Verde | |