Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Johannesburg, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
(34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W)
Arrival Airport:
(25°59'11"S by 28°8'24"E)
Distance from MSL to GCJ:
8,622.36 miles (13,876.30 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- GCJ Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about GCJ
- 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 GCJ
- List of Nearest Airports to GCJ
- Map of Furthest Airports from GCJ
- List of Furthest Airports from GCJ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Grand Central Airport (GCJ), Johannesburg, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,622 miles (or 13,876 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 Grand Central 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 Grand Central 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: | GCJ / FAGC |
| Airport Name: | Grand Central Airport |
| Location: | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 25°59'11"S by 28°8'24"E |
| Area Served: | Johannesburg |
| Operator/Owner: | Private |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 5327 feet (1,624 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GCJ |
| More Information: | GCJ Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- Instruction at the school consisted of teaching the cadets to fly in formation, fly by instruments or by aerial navigation, fly at night, and fly for long distances.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Grand Central Airport (GCJ):
- Because of Grand Central Airport's high elevation of 5,327 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at GCJ. Combined with a high temperature, this could make GCJ a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- Grand Central Airport is a small privately owned airfield which is open to public air traffic.
- Grand Central is a fully equipped airfield and is open 24 hours a day.
- The furthest airport from Grand Central Airport (GCJ) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,992 miles (19,299 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
- The closest airport to Grand Central Airport (GCJ) is O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) SSE of GCJ.
- Grand Central Airport (GCJ) currently has only 1 runway.
| 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 | 12.44 miles (20.02 km) SSE | O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) | Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 2 | 13.69 miles (22.03 km) WNW | Lanseria International Airport (HLA) | Lanseria, South Africa | |
| 3 | 17.71 miles (28.50 km) S | Rand Airport (QRA) | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| 4 | 23.58 miles (37.95 km) NNE | Wonderboom Airport (PRY) | Pretoria, South Africa | |
| 5 | 39.29 miles (63.23 km) SSE | Heidelberg Airport (HDB) | Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | |
| 6 | 75.22 miles (121.06 km) NW | Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY) | Pilanesberg, South Africa | |
| 7 | 160.70 miles (258.63 km) WNW | Lobatse Airport (LOQ) | Lobatse, Botswana | |
| 8 | 161.80 miles (260.39 km) W | Mafikeng Airport (MBD) | Mmabatho, South Africa | |
| 9 | 169.44 miles (272.69 km) NNE | Polokwane International Airport (PTG) | Polokwane, South Africa | |
| 10 | 170.42 miles (274.27 km) NW | Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) | Gaborone, Botswana | |
| 11 | 189.29 miles (304.64 km) ENE | Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) | Nelspruit, South Africa | |
| 12 | 198.31 miles (319.15 km) S | Leribe Airport (LRB) | Leribe, Lesotho | |
| 13 | 199.81 miles (321.56 km) ESE | Matsapha Airport (MTS) | Manzini, Swaziland | |
| 14 | 204.75 miles (329.52 km) SSE | Ladysmith Airport (LAY) | Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 15 | 214.07 miles (344.50 km) ENE | Air Force Base Hoedspruit (HDS) | Hoedspruit, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,991.87 miles (19,299.00 km) NE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,981.36 miles (19,282.08 km) NE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,974.84 miles (19,271.59 km) NE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,974.65 miles (19,271.28 km) NE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,966.94 miles (19,258.87 km) NNE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,966.28 miles (19,257.81 km) NE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,958.69 miles (19,245.60 km) NNE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,957.65 miles (19,243.93 km) NNE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,953.83 miles (19,237.78 km) NE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,946.38 miles (19,225.79 km) NNE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,937.43 miles (19,211.39 km) NE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,935.72 miles (19,208.63 km) NE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,935.72 miles (19,208.63 km) NE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,933.70 miles (19,205.39 km) NE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,929.62 miles (19,198.82 km) NNE | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |