Nonstop flight route between Sabah, Malaysia and Galena, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from SMM to GAL:
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- About this route
- SMM Airport Information
- GAL Airport Information
- Facts about SMM
- Facts about GAL
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMM
- List of Nearest Airports to SMM
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMM
- List of Furthest Airports from SMM
- 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 Semporna Airport (SMM), Sabah, Malaysia and Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL), Galena, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,777 miles (or 9,298 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 Semporna Airport 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 Semporna Airport 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: | SMM / WBKA |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Sabah, Malaysia |
GPS Coordinates: | 4°26'58"N by 118°35'47"E |
Area Served: | Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia |
Operator/Owner: | Malaysia Airports Berhad |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 60 feet (18 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SMM |
More Information: | SMM Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | GAL / PAGA |
Airport Names: |
|
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 Semporna Airport (SMM):
- In addition to being known as "Semporna Airport", another name for SMM is "Lapangan Terbang Semporna".
- Because of Semporna Airport's relatively low elevation of 60 feet, planes can take off or land at Semporna 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 Semporna Airport (SMM) is Coari Airport (CIZ), which is nearly antipodal to Semporna Airport (meaning Semporna Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Coari Airport), and is located 12,316 miles (19,820 kilometers) away in Coari, Amazonas, Brazil.
- The closest airport to Semporna Airport (SMM) is Tawau Airport (TWU), which is located 34 miles (55 kilometers) WSW of SMM.
- Semporna Airport (SMM) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL):
- Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is Koyukuk Airport (KYU), which is located 25 miles (41 kilometers) WNW of GAL.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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)".