Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Alotau, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from MRI to GUR:
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- About this route
- MRI Airport Information
- GUR Airport Information
- Facts about MRI
- Facts about GUR
- Map of Nearest Airports to MRI
- List of Nearest Airports to MRI
- Map of Furthest Airports from MRI
- List of Furthest Airports from MRI
- Map of Nearest Airports to GUR
- List of Nearest Airports to GUR
- Map of Furthest Airports from GUR
- List of Furthest Airports from GUR
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Merrill Field (MRI), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Gurney Airport (GUR), Alotau, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,896 miles (or 9,489 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 Merrill Field and Gurney 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 Merrill Field and Gurney Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MRI / PAMR |
Airport Name: | Merrill Field |
Location: | Anchorage, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 61°12'48"N by 149°50'39"W |
Operator/Owner: | Municipality of Anchorage |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 137 feet (42 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from MRI |
More Information: | MRI Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | GUR / AYGN |
Airport Name: | Gurney Airport |
Location: | Alotau, Papua New Guinea |
GPS Coordinates: | 10°18'41"S by 150°20'0"E |
Area Served: | Alotau, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 89 feet (27 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from GUR |
More Information: | GUR Maps & Info |
Facts about Merrill Field (MRI):
- Because of Merrill Field's relatively low elevation of 137 feet, planes can take off or land at Merrill Field 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.
- Merrill Field is home to the University of Alaska Anchorage's Aviation Technology Division, as well as two locally-owned flight schools, air taxi services, and fixed base operators.
- Merrill Field (MRI) has 3 runways.
- The furthest airport from Merrill Field (MRI) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,545 miles (16,970 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- Merrill Field, located on the east end of 5th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska, was the only airport serving Anchorage until 1951 when the introduction of ever larger and faster commercial aircraft required that an airfield with longer and heavier runways be built.
- The closest airport to Merrill Field (MRI) is Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) NNE of MRI.
Facts about Gurney Airport (GUR):
- The airfield was reopened in early 1966, as a part of the Australian colonial policy of having each of the provincial capitals served by daily flights.
- Gurney Airport (GUR) currently has only 1 runway.
- Gurney Airport is an airport serving Alotau in the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea.
- The airport is a single runway general aviation facility, however in December, 2008, the PNG Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Don Polye announced that aviation company Skyworld had been granted permission to operate direct flights from Cairns, Australia to Gurney.
- The airport resides at an elevation of 88 feet above mean sea level.
- The furthest airport from Gurney Airport (GUR) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,966 miles (19,257 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
- The closest airport to Gurney Airport (GUR) is Vivigani Airport (VIV), which is located 69 miles (112 kilometers) N of GUR.
- Because of Gurney Airport's relatively low elevation of 89 feet, planes can take off or land at Gurney 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.
- Built by the US Army 96th Engineer General Service Regiment, Company E of 46th Engineer General Service Regiment and No.