Nonstop flight route between Catania, Italy and Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY), Catania, Italy and Rockhampton Airport (ROK), Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,646 miles (or 15,523 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 Sigonella and Rockhampton 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 Sigonella and Rockhampton 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 Sigonella (NSY):

• Ground was broken in September, and construction on the administrative area at NAF I was started in 1958.
• The furthest airport from Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,695 miles (18,821 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• By the end of August 1959, the NAF II airfield was available for daylight flights under visual flight rules.
• Most permanent party military personnel and families are housed in Marinai, located 2 minutes from NAS II and approximately 10–15 minutes from NAS I.
• Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) is Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) ENE of NSY.
• In addition to being known as "Naval Air Station Sigonella", other names for NSY include "Base aerea di Sigonella" and "NAS Sigonella".
• In the 1980s, Naval Air Facility Sigonella was redesignated as a Naval Air Station.
• Because of Naval Air Station Sigonella's relatively low elevation of 79 feet, planes can take off or land at Naval Air Station Sigonella 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.
• NAS Sigonella is the Navy's second largest security command, second only to that located at Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

Facts about Rockhampton Airport (ROK):

• Rockhampton Airport closed on 1 January 2011 due to flooding affecting the runway.
• The closest airport to Rockhampton Airport (ROK) is Gladstone Airport (GLT), which is located 58 miles (94 kilometers) SE of ROK.
• The terminal is also serviced by bus and taxi, with regular connections to Rockhampton City and the Capricorn Coast provided by Youngs Bus Service and other local operators.
• Rockhampton Airport (ROK) has 2 runways.
• In 2011, the airport handled 701,062 passengers and 12,606 aircraftmovements, a drop from the 2010 figure of 777,212 passengers and 14,602 aircraft.
• The furthest airport from Rockhampton Airport (ROK) is Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO), which is located 11,922 miles (19,187 kilometers) away in Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde.
• Rockhampton Airport handled 701,062 passengers last year.
• Because of Rockhampton Airport's relatively low elevation of 36 feet, planes can take off or land at Rockhampton 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.