Nonstop flight route between Athens, Tennessee, United States and Pituffik, Greenland:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between McMinn County Airport (MMI), Athens, Tennessee, United States and Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,885 miles (or 4,643 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 McMinn County 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 McMinn County 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 McMinn County Airport (MMI):

• McMinn County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Athens, a city in McMinn County, Tennessee, United States.
• The furthest airport from McMinn County Airport (MMI) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,317 miles (18,212 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of McMinn County Airport's relatively low elevation of 858 feet, planes can take off or land at McMinn County 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.
• McMinn County Airport covers an area of 76 acres at an elevation of 858 feet above mean sea level.
• McMinn County Airport (MMI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to McMinn County Airport (MMI) is Rockwood Municipal Airport (RKW), which is located 37 miles (59 kilometers) N of MMI.

Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):

• Thule AB was constructed in secret under the code name Operation Blue Jay, but the project was made public in September 1952.
• In 1961, a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar was constructed at "J-Site," 21 km northeast of main base.
• 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.
• In 1818, Sir John Ross’s expedition made first contact with nomadic Polar Eskimos in the area.
• Thule Air Base is also home to the 821st Air Base Group and is responsible for air base support within the Thule Defense Area for the multinational population of "Team Thule." The base hosts the 12th Space Warning Squadron which operates a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System designed to detect and track ICBMs launched against North America.
• In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
• The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.