Nonstop flight route between Munda, New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands and Rhine, Germany:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Munda Airport (MUA), Munda, New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands and Rheine-Bentlage Air Base (ZPQ), Rhine, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,958 miles (or 14,416 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 Munda Airport and Rheine-Bentlage 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 Munda Airport and Rheine-Bentlage Air Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Munda Airport (MUA):

• Munda Airport (MUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Munda Airport (MUA) is Praia International Airport (RAI), which is located 11,978 miles (19,277 kilometers) away in Praia, Cape Verde.
• A Japanese directive in late October 1942 called for an air base to be built at Munda Point, about 150 miles northwest of Guadalcanal and Henderson Field.
• Because of Munda Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Munda 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 Munda Airport (MUA) is Nusatupe Airport (GZO), which is located 32 miles (51 kilometers) WNW of MUA.
• Construction began in mid-November with a great emphasis on keeping the forward airfield secret.
• After the war, the airfield was turned into a commercial airport, used for regional flights by Solomon Airlines.
• Despite these efforts, reports of the strip were relayed to Guadalcanal via coastwatcher Danny Kennedy and aerial reconnaissance spotted increased barge traffic and evidence of crushed coral being prepared at the strip, but the Japanese succeeded in buying enough time to complete a single 1,094 feet by 44 feet all weather runway for fighters operational on 17 December 1942.

Facts about Rheine-Bentlage Air Base (ZPQ):

• In 2004, after a further restructuring of the Bundeswehr, during which a large number of bases were closed, Army Aviation Medium Transport Regiment 15 was given the honorary name Münsterland, this being the result of the German Army's continuing commitment to the base at the time.
• The closest airport to Rheine-Bentlage Air Base (ZPQ) is Münster Osnabrück International Airport (FMO), which is located only 17 miles (27 kilometers) SE of ZPQ.
• The furthest airport from Rheine-Bentlage Air Base (ZPQ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,825 miles (19,030 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Rheine-Bentlage Air Base's relatively low elevation of 128 feet, planes can take off or land at Rheine-Bentlage Air Base 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.
• Rheine-Bentlage Air Base (ZPQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Rheine-Bentlage Air Base", another name for ZPQ is "(Advanced Landing Ground B-108)".
• In 1960, following the founding of the German Armed Forces in 1955 and the establishing of a new branch within the German Army, the Aviation Corps, completely new military installations, hangars and a small runway made of asphalt, were constructed on the grounds of the former German Air Force base.
• In October 2011 the German Federal Ministry of Defence announced a reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces.