Nonstop flight route between Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga and Fort Rucker / Ozark, Alabama, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU), Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga and Lowe Army Heliport (AHP) (LOR), Fort Rucker / Ozark, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,936 miles (or 11,162 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 Fuaʻamotu International Airport and Lowe Army Heliport (AHP), 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 Fuaʻamotu International Airport and Lowe Army Heliport (AHP). 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 Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU):

• Peau Vavaʻu operate a Convair 580 subleased from Reef Air leased from New Zealand's Air Chathams to Haʻapai and Vavaʻu, and a Twin Otter to Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu.
• Under Tongan law, Fuaʻamotu International Airport is closed on Sundays — only to be opened in distress, after the minister's approval.
• Fuaʻamotu was originally built in 1942 by a civilian contractor for the US Army.
• The closest airport to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Lifuka Island Airport (HPA), which is located 114 miles (183 kilometers) NNE of TBU.
• The furthest airport from Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport (TMR), which is nearly antipodal to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (meaning Fuaʻamotu International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport), and is located 12,322 miles (19,830 kilometers) away in Tamanrasset, Algeria.
• It is the strength of the runway rather than the length that restricts operations from Fuaʻamotu.
• Fuaʻamotu is a total controlled aerodrome and all traffic are guide by air traffic control.
• On April 28, 2006, the Tongan Government ended their controversial one-airline policy that had been in favour of Peau Vavaʻu.
• Because of Fuaʻamotu International Airport's relatively low elevation of 126 feet, planes can take off or land at Fuaʻamotu 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.
• Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) has 2 runways.

Facts about Lowe Army Heliport (AHP) (LOR):

• In addition to being known as "Lowe Army Heliport (AHP)", other names for LOR include "Lowe Army Heliport" and "Fort Rucker".
• Because of Lowe Army Heliport (AHP)'s relatively low elevation of 294 feet, planes can take off or land at Lowe Army Heliport (AHP) 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 closest airport to Lowe Army Heliport (AHP) (LOR) is Hanchey Army Heliport (AHP) (HEY), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) E of LOR.
• The furthest airport from Lowe Army Heliport (AHP) (LOR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,213 miles (18,045 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Lowe Army Heliport (AHP) (LOR) has 4 runways.