Nonstop flight route between Patuxent River, Maryland, United States and Gasmata Island, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK), Patuxent River, Maryland, United States and Gasmata Airport (GMI), Gasmata Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,778 miles (or 14,126 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 Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Gasmata 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 Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Gasmata Airport. 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 Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK):

• The original civilian residents had about a month, until March 1, 1942, to relocate as the federal government purchased all the land at a cost of $712,287 for 6,412 acres, which in 2013 dollars would be the equivalent of being paid $1,261 per acre.
• The closest airport to Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK) is St. Mary's County Regional Airport (LTW), which is located only 8 miles (12 kilometers) WNW of NHK.
• In addition to being known as "Naval Air Station Patuxent River", other names for NHK include "Trapnell Field" and "KNHK - FAA: NHK".
• Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK) has 3 runways.
• Because of Naval Air Station Patuxent River's relatively low elevation of 39 feet, planes can take off or land at Naval Air Station Patuxent River 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 Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,728 miles (18,874 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The base became a center for testing as several facilities were constructed throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
• Research and development at NAS Patuxent River forged ahead in the 1970s.

Facts about Gasmata Airport (GMI):

• The furthest airport from Gasmata Airport (GMI) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,746 miles (18,903 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
• Gasmata Airport (GMI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Gasmata Airport (GMI) is Kandrian Airport (KDR), which is located 55 miles (88 kilometers) W of GMI.
• Because of Gasmata Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Gasmata 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.