Nonstop flight route between Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga and San Diego, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from TBU to NKX:
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- About this route
- TBU Airport Information
- NKX Airport Information
- Facts about TBU
- Facts about NKX
- Map of Nearest Airports to TBU
- List of Nearest Airports to TBU
- Map of Furthest Airports from TBU
- List of Furthest Airports from TBU
- Map of Nearest Airports to NKX
- List of Nearest Airports to NKX
- Map of Furthest Airports from NKX
- List of Furthest Airports from NKX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU), Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga and MCAS Miramar, (NKX), San Diego, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,348 miles (or 8,606 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 MCAS Miramar,, 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 MCAS Miramar,. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | TBU / NFTF |
| Airport Name: | Fuaʻamotu International Airport |
| Location: | Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga |
| GPS Coordinates: | 21°14'27"S by 175°8'57"W |
| Area Served: | Nukuʻalofa, Tonga |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Civil Aviation |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 126 feet (38 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from TBU |
| More Information: | TBU Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | NKX / KNKX |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | San Diego, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 32°52'4"N by 117°8'30"W |
| Operator/Owner: | United States Marine Corps |
| Airport Type: | Military |
| Elevation: | 478 feet (146 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from NKX |
| More Information: | NKX Maps & Info |
Facts about Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU):
- Fuaʻamotu was originally built in 1942 by a civilian contractor for the US Army.
- 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.
- On April 28, 2006, the Tongan Government ended their controversial one-airline policy that had been in favour of Peau Vavaʻu.
- The closest airport to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Lifuka Island Airport (HPA), which is located 114 miles (183 kilometers) NNE of TBU.
- Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) has 2 runways.
- Fuaʻamotu International Airport is equipped with VOR/DME and NDB navigational facilities.
- 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.
Facts about MCAS Miramar, (NKX):
- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station Miramar and Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.
- In addition to being known as "MCAS Miramar,", another name for NKX is "Mitscher Field".
- Because of MCAS Miramar,'s relatively low elevation of 478 feet, planes can take off or land at MCAS Miramar, 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 big Privateers proved too heavy for the asphalt concrete runway the Army had installed in 1936 and the longer runways built in 1940, so the Navy added two concrete runways in 1943.
- MCAS Miramar, (NKX) has 3 runways.
- The furthest airport from MCAS Miramar, (NKX) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,530 miles (18,556 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- The closest airport to MCAS Miramar, (NKX) is Montgomery Field (MYF), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) S of NKX.
- In 1993, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended that Marine Corps Air Station El Toro and Marine Corps Air Station Tustin be closed down and that NAS Miramar be transferred to the Marine Corps.
