Nonstop flight route between Malatya, Turkey and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malatya Erhaç Airport (MLX), Malatya, Turkey and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,483 miles (or 5,606 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 Malatya Erhaç Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International 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 Malatya Erhaç Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. 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 Malatya Erhaç Airport (MLX):

• Erhaç is the 7th Air Wing of the 2nd Air Force Command of the Turkish Air Force.
• The closest airport to Malatya Erhaç Airport (MLX) is Adıyaman Airport (ADF), which is located 53 miles (85 kilometers) SSE of MLX.
• The furthest airport from Malatya Erhaç Airport (MLX) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,298 miles (18,182 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Malatya Erhaç Airport (MLX) currently has only 1 runway.
• On June 22, 2012, the Turkish Air Force reported that a RF-4E Phantom reconnaissance jet operating from Erhaç went missing over the Mediterranean sea near Syria, with witnesses in the Syrian town of Latakia reporting an aircraft had been shot down by Syrian air defenses.
• In addition to being known as "Malatya Erhaç Airport", another name for MLX is "Malatya Erhaç Havaalanı".

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• The air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.
• Because of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Mattala Rajapaksa International 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.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.
• The new international airport is expected to expand the local aviation industry whilst being a catalyst for the country's economic development enabling international trade, tourism, vocational training and employment.
• Phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.
• The furthest airport from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,719 miles (18,860 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• The terminal building will be of area 12,000m2 with the capacity to handle 1,000,000 passengers per annum.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".