Nonstop flight route between Rock Springs, Wyoming, United States and Attu Island, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from RKS to ATU:
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- About this route
- RKS Airport Information
- ATU Airport Information
- Facts about RKS
- Facts about ATU
- Map of Nearest Airports to RKS
- List of Nearest Airports to RKS
- Map of Furthest Airports from RKS
- List of Furthest Airports from RKS
- Map of Nearest Airports to ATU
- List of Nearest Airports to ATU
- Map of Furthest Airports from ATU
- List of Furthest Airports from ATU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Rock Springs–Sweetwater County Airport (RKS), Rock Springs, Wyoming, United States and Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), Attu Island, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,547 miles (or 5,708 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 Rock Springs–Sweetwater County Airport and Casco Cove Coast Guard Station, 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 Rock Springs–Sweetwater County Airport and Casco Cove Coast Guard Station. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | RKS / KRKS |
Airport Name: | Rock Springs–Sweetwater County Airport |
Location: | Rock Springs, Wyoming, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 41°35'39"N by 109°3'55"W |
Area Served: | Rock Springs, Wyoming |
Operator/Owner: | Rock Springs & Sweetwater County |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 6765 feet (2,062 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from RKS |
More Information: | RKS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | ATU / PAAT |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Attu Island, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 52°49'57"N by 173°10'32"E |
Operator/Owner: | U.S. Coast Guard 17th Dist. |
Airport Type: | Private use |
Elevation: | 88 feet (27 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from ATU |
More Information: | ATU Maps & Info |
Facts about Rock Springs–Sweetwater County Airport (RKS):
- United Airlines DC-3s landed at Rock Springs until 1952.
- The airport covers 1,242 acres at an elevation of 6,765 feet.
- Rock Springs–Sweetwater County Airport (RKS) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Rock Springs–Sweetwater County Airport (RKS) is Kemmerer Municipal Airport (EMM), which is located 79 miles (126 kilometers) WNW of RKS.
- The furthest airport from Rock Springs–Sweetwater County Airport (RKS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,864 miles (17,484 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- Because of Rock Springs–Sweetwater County Airport's high elevation of 6,765 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at RKS. Combined with a high temperature, this could make RKS a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
Facts about Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU):
- The island is protected as part of the National Parks Trust territory and few people visit the island or area, as it is restricted.
- The furthest airport from Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,631 miles (17,109 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Because of Casco Cove Coast Guard Station's relatively low elevation of 88 feet, planes can take off or land at Casco Cove Coast Guard Station 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.
- Established as Naval Air Facility Attu on June 7, 1943, just seven days after Attu Island was declared secured.
- The closest airport to Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU) is Eareckson Air Station (SYA), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) ESE of ATU.
- Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU) currently has only 1 runway.
- In addition to being known as "Casco Cove Coast Guard Station", other names for ATU include "LORAN Station Attu" and "(former Naval Air Facility Attu)".