Nonstop flight route between Norfolk, Virginia (near Virginia Beach and Williamsburg), United States and Pituffik, Greenland:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from ORF to THU:
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- About this route
- ORF Airport Information
- THU Airport Information
- Facts about ORF
- Facts about THU
- Map of Nearest Airports to ORF
- List of Nearest Airports to ORF
- Map of Furthest Airports from ORF
- List of Furthest Airports from ORF
- Map of Nearest Airports to THU
- List of Nearest Airports to THU
- Map of Furthest Airports from THU
- List of Furthest Airports from THU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Norfolk International Airport (ORF), Norfolk, Virginia (near Virginia Beach and Williamsburg), United States and Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,748 miles (or 4,423 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 Norfolk International Airport and Thule 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 Norfolk International Airport and Thule 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: | ORF / KORF |
| Airport Name: | Norfolk International Airport |
| Location: | Norfolk, Virginia (near Virginia Beach and Williamsburg), United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 36°53'40"N by 76°12'3"W |
| Area Served: | Norfolk, Virginia |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Norfolk |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 27 feet (8 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from ORF |
| More Information: | ORF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | THU / BGTL |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Pituffik, Greenland |
| GPS Coordinates: | 76°31'51"N by 68°42'11"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from THU |
| More Information: | THU Maps & Info |
Facts about Norfolk International Airport (ORF):
- The closest airport to Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is Naval Station Norfolk (NGU), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) WNW of ORF.
- Norfolk International Airport (ORF) has 2 runways.
- Norfolk International Airport is a public use airport located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Norfolk, an independent city in the U.S.
- Commercial aviation began in the Norfolk area about 1926, when Norfolk citizens flew commercially for the first time on the Mitten Line, operated by Philadelphia Rapid Transit Air Service, Inc.
- Because of Norfolk International Airport's relatively low elevation of 27 feet, planes can take off or land at Norfolk International 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 furthest airport from Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,769 miles (18,940 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- In 1974, the airport dedicated its new, state-of-the-art terminal and additional land was secured for further expansion.
- There are no bus or shuttle services to and from Norfolk International Airport.
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- In 1957 construction began on 4 Nike Missile sites around the base, and they and their radar systems were operational by the end of 1958.
- The furthest airport from Thule Air Base (THU) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,883 miles (15,905 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- Thule Air Base is the U.S.
- There is only a brief period each year in the summer when sea ice thins sufficiently to send supply ships to the base.
- In 1949, Denmark joined NATO and abandoned its attempt to remove the United States bases.
- Knud Rasmussen was the first to recognize the Pituffik plain as ideal for an airport.
