Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo:
Departure Airport:
(34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W)
Arrival Airport:
(2°18'32"S by 28°48'30"E)
Distance from MSL to BKY:
7,796.93 miles (12,547.91 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- BKY Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about BKY
- Map of Nearest Airports to MSL
- List of Nearest Airports to MSL
- Map of Furthest Airports from MSL
- List of Furthest Airports from MSL
- Map of Nearest Airports to BKY
- List of Nearest Airports to BKY
- Map of Furthest Airports from BKY
- List of Furthest Airports from BKY
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Kuvumu Airport (BKY), Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,797 miles (or 12,548 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Kuvumu 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Kuvumu Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MSL / KMSL |
| Airport Name: | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport |
| Location: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W |
| Area Served: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama |
| Operator/Owner: | Colbert & Lauderdale Counties |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 551 feet (168 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MSL |
| More Information: | MSL Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BKY / FZMA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| GPS Coordinates: | 2°18'32"S by 28°48'30"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Government |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 5643 feet (1,720 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BKY |
| More Information: | BKY Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- The airport was opened in February 1940, however in 1942 it was taken over by the United States Army Air Forces as a World War II pilot training military airfield.
- Because of Northwest Alabama Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 551 feet, planes can take off or land at Northwest Alabama Regional 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.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,143 miles (17,932 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), which is located 38 miles (62 kilometers) E of MSL.
- Prior to summer 2009, Muscle Shoals was served from Northwest Airlines' hub in Memphis via Northwest Airlink turboprop service operated by Mesaba Airlines.
Facts about Kuvumu Airport (BKY):
- Kuvumu Airport (BKY) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Kuvumu Airport's high elevation of 5,643 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at BKY. Combined with a high temperature, this could make BKY a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Kuvumu Airport (BKY) is Cassidy International Airport (CXI), which is nearly antipodal to Kuvumu Airport (meaning Kuvumu Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cassidy International Airport), and is located 12,011 miles (19,330 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Kiribati.
- The closest airport to Kuvumu Airport (BKY) is Goma Airport (GOM), which is located 53 miles (86 kilometers) NE of BKY.
- In addition to being known as "Kuvumu Airport", other names for BKY include "Bukavu Kuvumu Airport" and "Kuvumu Airport (Bukavu)".
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 38.30 miles (61.63 km) E | Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) | Decatur, Alabama, United States |     |
| 2 | 48.04 miles (77.31 km) E | Huntsville International Airport (HSV) | Huntsville / Decatur, Alabama, United States | |
| 3 | 48.69 miles (78.35 km) SSW | Marion County - Rankin Fite Airport (HAB) | Hamilton, Alabama, United States | |
| 4 | 52.77 miles (84.92 km) E | Redstone Army Airfield (AAF) (HUA) | Redstone Arsenal (near Huntsville), Alabama, United States | |
| 5 | 57.54 miles (92.61 km) WNW | Roscoe Turner Airport (CRX) | Corinth, Mississippi, United States | |
| 6 | 60.98 miles (98.14 km) NNE | Maury County Airport (MRC) | Columbia/Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, United States | |
| 7 | 63.15 miles (101.63 km) ENE | Fayetteville Municipal Airport (FYM) | Fayetteville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 8 | 73.81 miles (118.78 km) WSW | Tupelo Regional Airport (TUP) | Tupelo, Mississippi, United States | |
| 9 | 76.02 miles (122.34 km) N | Centerville Municipal Airport (GHM) | Centerville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 10 | 86.70 miles (139.52 km) NE | Shelbyville Municipal Airport (SYI) | Shelbyville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 11 | 88.71 miles (142.77 km) ENE | Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA) | Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States | |
| 12 | 89.78 miles (144.49 km) SSW | Columbus Air Force Base (CBM) | Columbus, Mississippi, United States | |
| 13 | 94.44 miles (151.99 km) NW | McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL) | Jackson, Tennessee, United States | |
| 14 | 95.23 miles (153.26 km) SSE | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | |
| 15 | 98.80 miles (159.01 km) SSW | Columbus-Lowndes County Airport (UBS) | Columbus, Mississippi, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,142.65 miles (17,932.31 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,122.93 miles (17,900.57 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,103.49 miles (17,869.29 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,090.79 miles (17,848.85 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,087.23 miles (17,843.13 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,084.36 miles (17,838.50 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,072.96 miles (17,820.15 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,066.34 miles (17,809.50 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,065.40 miles (17,807.98 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,059.28 miles (17,798.14 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,036.88 miles (17,762.10 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,012.40 miles (17,722.70 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,003.51 miles (17,708.39 km) W | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,999.24 miles (17,701.51 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,995.36 miles (17,695.27 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 53.19 miles (85.61 km) NE | Goma Airport (GOM) | Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 2 | 53.41 miles (85.95 km) NE | Gisenyi Airport (GYI) | Gisenyi, Rwanda | |
| 3 | 67.26 miles (108.25 km) ESE | Butare Airport (BTQ) | Butare, Rwanda | |
| 4 | 78.47 miles (126.28 km) SSE | Bujumbura International Airport (BJM) | Bujumbura, Burundi | |
| 5 | 90.26 miles (145.26 km) E | Kirundo Airport (KRE) | Kirundo, Burundi | |
| 6 | 94.46 miles (152.02 km) ENE | Kigali International Airport (KGL) | Kigali, Rwanda | |
| 7 | 109.01 miles (175.43 km) SE | Gitega Airport (GID) | Gitega, Burundi | |
| 8 | 173.19 miles (278.72 km) NE | Mbarara Airport (MBQ) | Mbarara, Uganda | |
| 9 | 187.65 miles (301.99 km) SSE | Kigoma Airport (TKQ) | Kigoma, Tanzania | |
| 10 | 194.42 miles (312.89 km) NNE | Kasese Airport (KSE) | Kasese, Uganda | |
| 11 | 204.10 miles (328.47 km) WSW | Kindu Airport (KND) | Kindu, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 12 | 204.49 miles (329.09 km) NNE | Beni Airport (BNC) | Beni, Nord-Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 13 | 218.71 miles (351.97 km) ENE | Bukoba Airport (BKZ) | Bukoba, Tanzania | |
| 14 | 247.31 miles (398.01 km) SSW | Kongolo Airport (KOO) | Kongolo, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 15 | 248.30 miles (399.60 km) S | Kalemie Airport (FMI) | Kalemie, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,011.01 miles (19,329.81 km) E | Cassidy International Airport (CXI) | Christmas Island, Kiribati | |
| 2 | 11,330.55 miles (18,234.71 km) SE | Manihiki Island Airport (MHX) | Manihiki Island, Cook Islands | |
| 3 | 11,254.13 miles (18,111.71 km) SW | Atuona Airport (AUQ) | Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 4 | 11,237.79 miles (18,085.42 km) S | Mataiva Airport (MVT) | Mataiva, French Polynesia | |
| 5 | 11,232.06 miles (18,076.21 km) SSW | Ahe Airport (AHE) | Ahe, French Polynesia | |
| 6 | 11,227.81 miles (18,069.36 km) SSW | Manihi Airport (XMH) | Manihi, French Polynesia | |
| 7 | 11,205.92 miles (18,034.13 km) NNE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,188.69 miles (18,006.41 km) NNE | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,187.58 miles (18,004.62 km) NNE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,184.23 miles (17,999.22 km) SSW | Arutua Airport (AXR) | Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 11 | 11,177.59 miles (17,988.54 km) NNE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,158.90 miles (17,958.46 km) SSW | Apataki Airport (APK) | Apataki, French Polynesia | |
| 13 | 11,156.80 miles (17,955.08 km) NNE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,140.56 miles (17,928.95 km) S | Bora Bora Airport (BOB) | Bora Bora, French Polynesia | |
| 15 | 11,140.33 miles (17,928.57 km) S | Maupiti Airport (MAU) | Maupiti, Leeward Islands, French Polynesia | |