Nonstop flight route between Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Norfolk, Virginia, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Richards Bay Airport (RCB), Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Naval Station Norfolk (NGU), Norfolk, Virginia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,338 miles (or 13,419 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 Richards Bay Airport and Naval Station Norfolk, 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 Richards Bay Airport and Naval Station Norfolk. 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 Richards Bay Airport (RCB):

• Because of Richards Bay Airport's relatively low elevation of 109 feet, planes can take off or land at Richards Bay 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.
• Richards Bay Airport (RCB) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Richards Bay Airport (RCB) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,689 miles (18,812 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• The closest airport to Richards Bay Airport (RCB) is Hluhluwe Airport (HLW), which is located 52 miles (83 kilometers) NNE of RCB.

Facts about Naval Station Norfolk (NGU):

• In addition to being known as "Naval Station Norfolk", another name for NGU is "Chambers Field".
• The furthest airport from Naval Station Norfolk (NGU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,762 miles (18,929 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Air Operations conducts over 100,000 flight operations each year, an average of 275 flights per day or one every six minutes.
• In 1940, the naval aircraft program passed Congress with a production goal of 10,000 new planes later increased 15,000.
• Some 353 acres were eventually reclaimed at a cost of $2.1 million.
• The closest airport to Naval Station Norfolk (NGU) is Norfolk International Airport (ORF), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ESE of NGU.
• During the late 1930s, major construction took place at Naval Station Norfolk.
• When the United States became involved in World War I, the size of the Navy's air component was rapidly expanded.
• Naval Station Norfolk (NGU) currently has only 1 runway.