Nonstop flight route between Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and Galena, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SFJ to GAL:
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- About this route
- SFJ Airport Information
- GAL Airport Information
- Facts about SFJ
- Facts about GAL
- Map of Nearest Airports to SFJ
- List of Nearest Airports to SFJ
- Map of Furthest Airports from SFJ
- List of Furthest Airports from SFJ
- Map of Nearest Airports to GAL
- List of Nearest Airports to GAL
- Map of Furthest Airports from GAL
- List of Furthest Airports from GAL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ), Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL), Galena, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,639 miles (or 4,247 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 Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) and Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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 Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) and Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SFJ / BGSF |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Kangerlussuaq, Greenland |
| GPS Coordinates: | 67°1'0"N by 50°41'21"W |
| Area Served: | Kangerlussuaq, Greenland |
| Operator/Owner: | Mittarfeqarfiit |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 165 feet (50 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SFJ |
| More Information: | SFJ Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GAL / PAGA |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Galena, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 64°44'9"N by 156°56'15"W |
| Area Served: | Galena, Alaska |
| Operator/Owner: | State of Alaska DOT&PF - Northern Region |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 153 feet (47 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GAL |
| More Information: | GAL Maps & Info |
Facts about Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ):
- The terminal is open for 24 hours during summer.
- Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) handled 133,381 passengers last year.
- 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.
- 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.
- In addition to being known as "Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ)", other names for SFJ include "Mittarfik Kangerlussuaq" and "Kangerlussuaq Lufthavn".
- 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.
Facts about Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL):
- As Galena Airport, it was used as a military transport base during World War II, facilitating the transit of Lend-Lease aircraft to the Soviet Union.
- Because of Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport's relatively low elevation of 153 feet, planes can take off or land at Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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.
- Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) has 2 runways.
- The airport also sports a ski-jump takeoff ramp at one end and provisions for arresting gear at the other, a leftover from the Cold War years as Galena Air Force Base, as tactical aircraft required more landing and takeoff space than was available on the runway.
- In addition to being known as "Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport", another name for GAL is "(former Galena Air Force Base)".
- The furthest airport from Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,313 miles (16,598 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
- The closest airport to Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is Koyukuk Airport (KYU), which is located 25 miles (41 kilometers) WNW of GAL.
