Nonstop flight route between Cocle, Panama and Butaritari Atoll, Kiribati:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from RIH to BBG:
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- About this route
- RIH Airport Information
- BBG Airport Information
- Facts about RIH
- Facts about BBG
- Map of Nearest Airports to RIH
- List of Nearest Airports to RIH
- Map of Furthest Airports from RIH
- List of Furthest Airports from RIH
- Map of Nearest Airports to BBG
- List of Nearest Airports to BBG
- Map of Furthest Airports from BBG
- List of Furthest Airports from BBG
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH), Cocle, Panama and Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG), Butaritari Atoll, Kiribati would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,350 miles (or 11,829 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport and Butaritari Atoll 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport and Butaritari Atoll Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | RIH / MPSM |
Airport Name: | Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport |
Location: | Cocle, Panama |
GPS Coordinates: | 8°22'32"N by 80°7'40"W |
Area Served: | Rio Hato, Coclé, Panama |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 105 feet (32 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from RIH |
More Information: | RIH Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BBG / NGTU |
Airport Name: | Butaritari Atoll Airport |
Location: | Butaritari Atoll, Kiribati |
GPS Coordinates: | 3°5'11"N by 172°48'41"E |
Elevation: | 5 feet (2 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from BBG |
More Information: | BBG Maps & Info |
Facts about Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH):
- Established in 1931, during World War II Río Hato Army Air Base was used by the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force as part of the defense of the Panama Canal.
- Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport's relatively low elevation of 105 feet, planes can take off or land at Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez 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.
- In 2011 the government of Panama gave the order to proceed with a project to rebuild the airport.
- The closest airport to Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) is Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport (PAC), which is located 57 miles (91 kilometers) NE of RIH.
- The furthest airport from Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (meaning Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,102 miles (19,476 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
Facts about Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG):
- The Americans pulled out at the end of 1944, abandoning the airfield.
- Because of Butaritari Atoll Airport's relatively low elevation of 5 feet, planes can take off or land at Butaritari Atoll 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.
- Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG) is Marakei Airport (MZK), which is located 78 miles (126 kilometers) SSE of BBG.
- The furthest airport from Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG) is Cape Palmas Airport (CPA), which is located 11,920 miles (19,183 kilometers) away in Cape Palmas, Liberia.
- The airfield was the base of operations for the United States Army Air Forces Seventh Air Force 41st Bombardment Group which flew four squadrons of B-25 Mitchell medium bombers.