Nonstop flight route between Palm Springs, California, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP), Palm Springs, California, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,359 miles (or 10,234 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 Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield 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 Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield 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 Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP):

• In March 1941 the War Department certified improvements to the existing airport in Palm Springs as essential to National Defense.
• Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,464 miles (18,450 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Many of the field's Air Transport Command 560th Army Air Forces Base Unit personnel stayed at the comfortable Lapaz Guest Ranch nearby.
• The main building is the land side of the airport.
• Because of Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 477 feet, planes can take off or land at Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield 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.
• On June 1, 1944 training moved to Brownsville Army Airfield, Texas and the airfield was used for Army and Navy transport flights until the end of April 1945.
• The older unnamed concourse on the south side, simply known in signage as "Gates 12–20," is at tarmac-level and hosts smaller aircraft.
• The closest airport to Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP) is Bermuda Dunes Airport (UDD), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) ESE of PSP.

Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):

• There is one navigational aid, the Buka NDB situated on nearby Sohano Island.
• 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.
• Buka Airport is an airport serving Buka Island in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.
• 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.
• Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Today the airport is the primary air portal into Bougainville, and even 60 years after the war, wreckage from the military use of the airfield by the Japanese and Americans is easily found in the area.
• The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.