Nonstop flight route between Pocatello, Idaho, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH), Pocatello, Idaho, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,611 miles (or 10,640 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 Pocatello Regional Airport and Buka Island 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 Pocatello Regional Airport and Buka Island 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 Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH):

• Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Pocatello Regional Airport", another name for PIH is "(formerly Pocatello Army Airfield)".
• As per the Federal Aviation Administration, this airport had 25,756 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 21,039 in 2009, and 20,825 in 2010.
• Western Air Lines served Pocatello for a number of years, but discontinued all service by 1980.
• Because of Pocatello Regional Airport's high elevation of 4,452 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at PIH. Combined with a high temperature, this could make PIH a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• In the mid 1970s, Hughes Airwest served the airport with Douglas DC-9-10 and DC-9-30 jetliners, according to the February 1, 1976 edition of the North American Official Airline Guide.
• The furthest airport from Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,820 miles (17,413 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The closest airport to Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH) is Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA), which is located 49 miles (79 kilometers) NNE of PIH.
• Pocatello Regional Airport covers an area of 3,374 acres at an elevation of 4,452 feet above mean sea level.

Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):

• In 2004, the airport experienced some closures due to land disputes.
• The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
• Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Buka Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Buka Island 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 Buka Island Airport (BUA) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,781 miles (18,959 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
• On 26 July, an Imperial Japanese Navy special detachment was sent to inspect Buka Airfield, but considered it unacceptable as a prospect for a speedily constructed major airfield.
• In January 1944, the Allies drove the Japanese out of Buka, and the airfield was used for operations against the Japanese over New Guinea.