Nonstop flight route between Tau, American Samoa and Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from TAV to SXM:
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- About this route
- TAV Airport Information
- SXM Airport Information
- Facts about TAV
- Facts about SXM
- Map of Nearest Airports to TAV
- List of Nearest Airports to TAV
- Map of Furthest Airports from TAV
- List of Furthest Airports from TAV
- Map of Nearest Airports to SXM
- List of Nearest Airports to SXM
- Map of Furthest Airports from SXM
- List of Furthest Airports from SXM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Tau Airport (TAV), Tau, American Samoa and Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,577 miles (or 12,193 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 Tau Airport and Princess Juliana International 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 Tau Airport and Princess Juliana International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | TAV / |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Tau, American Samoa |
GPS Coordinates: | 14°13'45"S by 169°30'39"W |
Operator/Owner: | Private Individuals |
Airport Type: | Private |
Elevation: | 185 feet (56 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from TAV |
More Information: | TAV Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SXM / TNCM |
Airport Name: | Princess Juliana International Airport |
Location: | Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands |
GPS Coordinates: | 18°2'26"N by 63°6'33"W |
Operator/Owner: | Princess Juliana Int'l Airport Holding Company N.V. |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 14 feet (4 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SXM |
More Information: | SXM Maps & Info |
Facts about Tau Airport (TAV):
- The furthest airport from Tau Airport (TAV) is Zinder Airport (ZND), which is nearly antipodal to Tau Airport (meaning Tau Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Zinder Airport), and is located 12,331 miles (19,845 kilometers) away in Zinder, Niger.
- The closest airport to Tau Airport (TAV) is Fitiuta Airport (FTI), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) E of TAV.
- In addition to being known as "Tau Airport", other names for TAV include "none" and "HI36".
- Because of Tau Airport's relatively low elevation of 185 feet, planes can take off or land at Tau 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.
- Tau Airport (TAV) currently has only 1 runway.
- Tau Airport is no longer active or in use since the development of Fitiuta Airport, located northeast of Tau Island.
Facts about Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM):
- Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) currently has only 1 runway.
- Runway 10/28 was renumbered from 09/27 in late 2008.
- PJIA is equipped with VOR/DME and NDB.
- The furthest airport from Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) is Karratha Airport (KTA), which is nearly antipodal to Princess Juliana International Airport (meaning Princess Juliana International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Karratha Airport), and is located 12,252 miles (19,718 kilometers) away in Karratha / Dampier, Western Australia, Australia.
- However, the oil price increases since 2003 began impacting discretionary air travel worldwide by early 2008, and the prospect of further price increases threatens to reverse the recent expansion of tourist travel by jet which began with the 1980s oil glut.
- Because of Princess Juliana International Airport's relatively low elevation of 14 feet, planes can take off or land at Princess Juliana International 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.
- Arriving aircraft approach the island on the last section of the final approach for Runway 10, following a 3° glide slope flying low over the famous Maho Beach.
- Although the airport is as close to the beach as it is, there have only been 2 major accidents.
- The closest airport to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) is L'Espérance Airport Grand Case Airport (CCE), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) NE of SXM.
- The airport was started as a military airstrip in 1942.
- Princess Juliana International Airport serves the Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin.