Nonstop flight route between Safford, Arizona, United States and East London, South Africa:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from SAD to ELS:
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- About this route
- SAD Airport Information
- ELS Airport Information
- Facts about SAD
- Facts about ELS
- Map of Nearest Airports to SAD
- List of Nearest Airports to SAD
- Map of Furthest Airports from SAD
- List of Furthest Airports from SAD
- Map of Nearest Airports to ELS
- List of Nearest Airports to ELS
- Map of Furthest Airports from ELS
- List of Furthest Airports from ELS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Safford Regional Airport (SAD), Safford, Arizona, United States and East London Airport (ELS), East London, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,987 miles (or 16,073 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 Safford Regional Airport and East London 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 Safford Regional Airport and East London Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SAD / KSAD |
Airport Name: | Safford Regional Airport |
Location: | Safford, Arizona, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 32°51'11"N by 109°38'6"W |
Area Served: | Safford, Arizona |
Operator/Owner: | City of Safford |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 3179 feet (969 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from SAD |
More Information: | SAD Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | ELS / FAEL |
Airport Name: | East London Airport |
Location: | East London, South Africa |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°2'5"S by 27°49'17"E |
Area Served: | East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 436 feet (133 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from ELS |
More Information: | ELS Maps & Info |
Facts about Safford Regional Airport (SAD):
- The Civilian Pilot Training Airport or Wickersham Airport was 3 miles south of Safford, where the fairgrounds are today.
- The furthest airport from Safford Regional Airport (SAD) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,434 miles (18,401 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- Safford Regional Airport (SAD) has 2 runways.
- The airport covers 630 acres at an elevation of 3,179 feet.
- The closest airport to Safford Regional Airport (SAD) is Greenlee County Airport (CFT), which is located 26 miles (41 kilometers) ENE of SAD.
Facts about East London Airport (ELS):
- Passenger flights were undertaken by two de Havilland Moth planes on Saturday afternoons and all day on Sundays, weather permitting.
- In 1965 the airport was again moved, this time to its present site, 9 km west of the city centre.
- Because of East London Airport's relatively low elevation of 436 feet, planes can take off or land at East London 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 East London Airport (ELS) is Kalaupapa Airport (LUP), which is located 11,569 miles (18,618 kilometers) away in Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States.
- East London Airport (ELS) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to East London Airport (ELS) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 65 miles (105 kilometers) WSW of ELS.