Nonstop flight route between Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ), Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,918 miles (or 3,087 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 relatively short distance between Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) and MoD St Athan, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ):

• In addition to being known as "Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ)", other names for SFJ include "Mittarfik Kangerlussuaq" and "Kangerlussuaq Lufthavn".
• An airport was first built here by the US military in 1941, under the name Bluie West-8, later renamed Sondrestromfjord Air Base and Sondrestrom Air Base.
• The furthest airport from Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 10,633 miles (17,112 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• Because of Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ)'s relatively low elevation of 165 feet, planes can take off or land at Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) 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.
• Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport was handed over to civilian Greenlandic control in 1992.
• The closest airport to Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ) is Sisimiut Airport (JHS), which is located 82 miles (132 kilometers) W of SFJ.
• The terminal is open for 24 hours during summer.
• In the 1950s, transatlantic civilian flights began using the air base for refuelling.
• Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) handled 133,381 passengers last year.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• During the 1960s, a driving school was established.
• The two cadet passengers were cousins and were named as Katie Jo Davies, 15, and Nikitta Walters, 14.
• The furthest airport from MoD St Athan (DGX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The only squadrons to operate out of St Athan on a regular basis are the University of Wales Air Squadron, flying Grob Tutors and No 634 Volunteer Gliding Squadron using Vigilant T.1s.
• In 2009 building work was due to commence on a new defence training academy with its heart at St Athan.
• The last aircraft to be serviced at St Athan, a Vickers VC10, departed the site on 23 February 2012.
• On 26 August 1993 an ATC civilian instructor was seriously injured and the RAF Volunteer Reserve pilot, Group Captain Roger Sweatman, was killed when their Chipmunk trainer, on an air experience flight, crashed after encountering difficulties during a simulated emergency low-height manoeuvre on take-off.
• In March 2004, however, DARA announced the loss of 550 jobs at St Athan as part of streamlining to make DARA more efficient and better able to compete with the private sector for lucrative aircraft repair contracts, but also because they lost out to a direct RAF bid for a contract to upgrade the air force's fleet of ageing Harrier jump jet aircraft.
• Because of MoD St Athan's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at MoD St Athan 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.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.