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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK), Stockton, California, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,128 miles (or 9,862 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 Stockton Metropolitan Airport 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 Stockton Metropolitan Airport 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 Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK):

• The closest airport to Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) is Modesto City-County Airport (MOD), which is located 24 miles (39 kilometers) SE of SCK.
• Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex was vacated in 1973, ending the U.S.
• On July 11, 1964, Stockton Municipal Airport was officially renamed the Stockton Metropolitan Airport, reflecting its changing role as a civil airport.
• Because of Stockton Metropolitan Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at Stockton Metropolitan 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.
• Sharpe General Depot Field Annex was formed from two parcels of land adjacent to the southwest portion of the current Stockton Metropolitan Airport.
• The furthest airport from Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,311 miles (18,203 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) has 2 runways.
• On October 26, 2007 Allegiant Air began MD80 flights to Phoenix-Mesa and on July 1, 2010 to Long Beach.
• In addition to being known as "Stockton Metropolitan Airport", other names for SCK include "(former Stockton Army Airfield)" and "(former Sharpe Army Depot)".
• In the months preceding World War II, the U.S.

Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):

• 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.
• 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.
• There is one navigational aid, the Buka NDB situated on nearby Sohano Island.
• On 26 July, an Imperial Japanese Navy special detachment was sent to inspect Buka Airfield, but considered it unacceptable as a prospect for a speedily constructed major airfield.
• 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.