Nonstop flight route between Mianwali, Pakistan and Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between PAF Base M.M. Alam (MWD), Mianwali, Pakistan and King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,048 miles (or 8,123 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 PAF Base M.M. Alam and King Shaka International, 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 PAF Base M.M. Alam and King Shaka International. 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 PAF Base M.M. Alam (MWD):

• Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force was the Chief Guest at the occasion.
• PAF Base M.M. Alam (MWD) has 2 runways.
• The airbase was again upgraded to a permanent operational airbase in August 1974, although construction of facilities was not completed for another three years.
• In November 1976, No.14 Squadron was transferred to Mianwali airbase for operational conversion of graduates of the No.1 Fighter Conversion Unit from dual-seat to the Shenyang F-6 single-seat fighter aircraft.
• The closest airport to PAF Base M.M. Alam (MWD) is Dera Ismail Khan Airport (DSK), which is located 60 miles (96 kilometers) SW of MWD.
• Because of PAF Base M.M. Alam's relatively low elevation of 690 feet, planes can take off or land at PAF Base M.M. Alam 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 PAF Base M.M. Alam (MWD) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is nearly antipodal to PAF Base M.M. Alam (meaning PAF Base M.M. Alam is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Mataveri International Airport), and is located 12,059 miles (19,407 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.

Facts about King Shaka International (DUR):

• The terminal does not have a public viewing deck, which has attracted public criticism.
• The furthest airport from King Shaka International (DUR) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,682 miles (18,801 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• As a result, a study into the risks of bird strikes at KSIA was commissioned, with special attention being paid to the Barn Swallows at Mount Moreland.
• The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• Because of King Shaka International's relatively low elevation of 295 feet, planes can take off or land at King Shaka International 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 final obstacle was a delay in the approval of the project's Environmental Impact Assessment by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
• On 27 January 2014 the worlds largest passenger aircraft, an Airbus A380-800 of British Airways landed at KSIA becoming the first A380 to do so.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.