Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Gweru, Zimbabwe:
Departure Airport:
(34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W)
Arrival Airport:
(19°26'11"S by 29°51'42"E)
Distance from MSL to GWE:
8,510.15 miles (13,695.73 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- GWE Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about GWE
- 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 GWE
- List of Nearest Airports to GWE
- Map of Furthest Airports from GWE
- List of Furthest Airports from GWE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE), Gweru, Zimbabwe would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,510 miles (or 13,696 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 Gweru-Thornhill 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Gweru-Thornhill Air Base. 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: | GWE / FVTL |
| Airport Name: | Gweru-Thornhill Air Base |
| Location: | Gweru, Zimbabwe |
| GPS Coordinates: | 19°26'11"S by 29°51'42"E |
| Airport Type: | Military |
| Elevation: | 4680 feet (1,426 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GWE |
| More Information: | GWE Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- Pilot training at the airfield apparently ended on May 30, 1944, with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program.
- Prior to summer 2009, Muscle Shoals was served from Northwest Airlines' hub in Memphis via Northwest Airlink turboprop service operated by Mesaba Airlines.
- 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 closest airport to Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), which is located 38 miles (62 kilometers) E of MSL.
- 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.
Facts about Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE):
- Because of Gweru-Thornhill Air Base's high elevation of 4,680 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at GWE. Combined with a high temperature, this could make GWE a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is nearly antipodal to Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (meaning Gweru-Thornhill Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Hilo International Airport), and is located 12,117 miles (19,500 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.
- Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) is Masvingo Airport (MVZ), which is located 78 miles (125 kilometers) ESE of GWE.
| 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 | 77.66 miles (124.99 km) ESE | Masvingo Airport (MVZ) | Masvingo, Zimbabwe | |
| 2 | 90.32 miles (145.36 km) WSW | Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) | Bulawayo, Zimbabwe | |
| 3 | 131.52 miles (211.66 km) NE | Harare International Airport (HRE) | Harare, Zimbabwe | |
| 4 | 155.49 miles (250.24 km) SE | Buffalo Range Airport (BFO) | Chiredzi, Zimbabwe | |
| 5 | 182.94 miles (294.42 km) E | Mutare Airport (UTA) | Mutare, Zimbabwe | |
| 6 | 187.55 miles (301.83 km) ESE | Chipinge Airport (CHJ) | Chipinge, Zimbabwe | |
| 7 | 193.73 miles (311.78 km) WNW | Hwange National Park Airport (HWN) | Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe | |
| 8 | 195.21 miles (314.16 km) SW | Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base (FRW) | Francistown, Botswana | |
| 9 | 211.50 miles (340.38 km) NNW | Kariba Airport (KAB) | Kariba, Zimbabwe | |
| 10 | 233.47 miles (375.74 km) E | Chimoio Airport (VPY) | Chimoio, Mozambique | |
| 11 | 278.99 miles (448.99 km) WNW | Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) | Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe | |
| 12 | 287.01 miles (461.90 km) WNW | Livingstone Airport (LVI) | Livingstone, Zambia | |
| 13 | 298.51 miles (480.41 km) NNW | Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) | Lusaka, Zambia | |
| 14 | 305.72 miles (492.01 km) S | Polokwane International Airport (PTG) | Polokwane, South Africa | |
| 15 | 321.82 miles (517.93 km) SSE | Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW) | Phalaborwa, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,116.56 miles (19,499.66 km) E | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 12,075.02 miles (19,432.82 km) E | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 12,072.70 miles (19,429.08 km) E | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 12,060.58 miles (19,409.57 km) E | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 12,051.70 miles (19,395.29 km) E | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 12,044.18 miles (19,383.19 km) ENE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 12,016.40 miles (19,338.48 km) ENE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 12,000.16 miles (19,312.33 km) ENE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,985.07 miles (19,288.05 km) ENE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,977.30 miles (19,275.55 km) ENE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,970.59 miles (19,264.75 km) ENE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,916.18 miles (19,177.18 km) ENE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,916.18 miles (19,177.18 km) ENE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,907.08 miles (19,162.55 km) ENE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,906.16 miles (19,161.05 km) ENE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |