Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Bonthe, Sierra Leone:
Departure Airport:
(34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W)
Arrival Airport:
(7°31'54"N by 12°31'5"W)
Distance from MSL to BTE:
5,077.28 miles (8,171.06 km)
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- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- BTE Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about BTE
- 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 BTE
- List of Nearest Airports to BTE
- Map of Furthest Airports from BTE
- List of Furthest Airports from BTE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Sherbro International Airport (BTE), Bonthe, Sierra Leone would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,077 miles (or 8,171 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 Sherbro 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Sherbro International 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: | BTE / GFBN |
| Airport Name: | Sherbro International Airport |
| Location: | Bonthe, Sierra Leone |
| GPS Coordinates: | 7°31'54"N by 12°31'5"W |
| Area Served: | Bonthe |
| Operator/Owner: | Sierra Leone Airports Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public (closed) |
| Elevation: | 14 feet (4 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BTE |
| More Information: | BTE Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- Pilot training at the airfield apparently ended on May 30, 1944, with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program.
- Historically, Muscle Shoals was served by Southern Airways which operated Douglas DC-9-10 and DC-9-30 jetliners on nonstop and direct flights to Atlanta.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Sherbro International Airport (BTE):
- The closest airport to Sherbro International Airport (BTE) is Gbangbatok Airport (GBK), which is located 22 miles (35 kilometers) NNE of BTE.
- Sherbro International Airport (BTE) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Sherbro International Airport's relatively low elevation of 14 feet, planes can take off or land at Sherbro 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.
- The furthest airport from Sherbro International Airport (BTE) is Ulawa Airport (RNA), which is nearly antipodal to Sherbro International Airport (meaning Sherbro International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ulawa Airport), and is located 12,028 miles (19,357 kilometers) away in Arona, Ulawa Island, Solomon Islands.
| 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 | 21.64 miles (34.83 km) NNE | Gbangbatok Airport (GBK) | Gbangbatok, Sierra Leone | |
| 2 | 59.11 miles (95.13 km) ENE | Bo Airport (KBS) | Bo, Sierra Leone | |
| 3 | 72.76 miles (117.09 km) NW | Hastings Airport (HGS) | Freetown, Sierra Leone | |
| 4 | 88.09 miles (141.77 km) NNW | Lungi International Airport (FNA) | Freetown, Sierra Leone | |
| 5 | 95.47 miles (153.64 km) ENE | Kenema Airport (KEN) | Kenema, Sierra Leone | |
| 6 | 125.42 miles (201.85 km) NE | Yengema Airport (WYE) | Yengema, Kono District, Sierra Leone | |
| 7 | 148.13 miles (238.39 km) SE | Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW) | Monrovia, Liberia | |
| 8 | 159.83 miles (257.22 km) NNW | Conakry International Airport (CKY) | Conakry, Guinea | |
| 9 | 160.90 miles (258.94 km) NNE | Kabala Airport (KBA) | Kabala, Sierra Leone | |
| 10 | 166.76 miles (268.38 km) ENE | Foya Airport (FOY) | Foya, Liberia | |
| 11 | 172.96 miles (278.36 km) ESE | Roberts International Airport Roberts Field (ROB) | Monrovia, Liberia | |
| 12 | 196.07 miles (315.55 km) ENE | Voinjama Airport (VOI) | Voinjama, Liberia | |
| 13 | 198.60 miles (319.62 km) NE | Kissidougou Airport (KSI) | Kissidougou, Guinea | |
| 14 | 202.83 miles (326.43 km) ESE | Buchanan Airport (UCN) | Buchanan, Liberia | |
| 15 | 207.53 miles (333.99 km) NNW | Fria Airport (FIG) | Fria, Guinea | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,028.18 miles (19,357.42 km) ESE | Ulawa Airport (RNA) | Arona, Ulawa Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 2 | 12,012.70 miles (19,332.52 km) S | Mota Lava Airport (MTV) | Mota Lava, Vanuatu | |
| 3 | 12,005.77 miles (19,321.37 km) ESE | Kirakira Airport (IRA) | Kirakira, Makira Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 4 | 12,000.13 miles (19,312.29 km) S | Vanua Lava Airport (SLH) | Sola, Vanua Lava, Torba Province, Vanuatu | |
| 5 | 11,984.73 miles (19,287.51 km) ESE | Uru Harbour Airport (ATD) | Atoifi, Malaita, Solomon Islands | |
| 6 | 11,975.72 miles (19,273.01 km) ESE | Afutara Airport (AFT) | Afutara, Solomon Islands | |
| 7 | 11,974.78 miles (19,271.49 km) S | Gaua Airport (ZGU) | Gaua, Torba, Vanuatu | |
| 8 | 11,964.70 miles (19,255.27 km) E | Auki Gwaunaru'u Airport (AKS) | Auki / Gwaunaru'u, Solomon Islands | |
| 9 | 11,952.66 miles (19,235.90 km) S | Nauru International Airport (INU) | Yaren, Nauru | |
| 10 | 11,919.40 miles (19,182.37 km) S | Maewo-Naone Airport (MWF) | Maewo, Vanuatu | |
| 11 | 11,912.65 miles (19,171.51 km) ESE | Honiara International Airport (formerly Henderson Field) (HIR) | Honiara, Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 12 | 11,898.61 miles (19,148.91 km) S | Longana Airport (LOD) | Longana, Ambae Island, Pénama Province, Vanuatu | |
| 13 | 11,894.30 miles (19,141.98 km) E | Fera Airport (FRE) | Maringe, Fera Island, Isabel Province, Solomon Islands | |
| 14 | 11,892.79 miles (19,139.54 km) ESE | Mbambanakira Airport (MBU) | Mbambanakira, Solomon Islands | |
| 15 | 11,886.40 miles (19,129.26 km) S | Sara Airport (SSR) | Sara, Vanuatu | |