Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Attu Island, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from THU to ATU:
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- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- ATU Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about ATU
- Map of Nearest Airports to THU
- List of Nearest Airports to THU
- Map of Furthest Airports from THU
- List of Furthest Airports from THU
- Map of Nearest Airports to ATU
- List of Nearest Airports to ATU
- Map of Furthest Airports from ATU
- List of Furthest Airports from ATU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), Attu Island, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,101 miles (or 4,990 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 Thule Air Base and Casco Cove Coast Guard Station, 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 Thule Air Base and Casco Cove Coast Guard Station. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | THU / BGTL |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Pituffik, Greenland |
| GPS Coordinates: | 76°31'51"N by 68°42'11"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from THU |
| More Information: | THU Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | ATU / PAAT |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Attu Island, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 52°49'57"N by 173°10'32"E |
| Operator/Owner: | U.S. Coast Guard 17th Dist. |
| Airport Type: | Private use |
| Elevation: | 88 feet (27 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from ATU |
| More Information: | ATU Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- A cluster of huts known as Pituffik stood on the wide plain where the base was built in 1951.
- Thule Air Base is also home to the 821st Air Base Group and is responsible for air base support within the Thule Defense Area for the multinational population of "Team Thule." The base hosts the 12th Space Warning Squadron which operates a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System designed to detect and track ICBMs launched against North America.
- Thule AB was constructed in secret under the code name Operation Blue Jay, but the project was made public in September 1952.
- Thule Air Base is home to the 21st Space Wing's global network of sensors providing missile warning, space surveillance and space control to North American Aerospace Defense Command and Air Force Space Command.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- The furthest airport from Thule Air Base (THU) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,883 miles (15,905 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
- Thule Air Base has served as the regional hub for nearby installations, including Cape Atholl, Camp Century, Camp TUTO, Sites 1 and 2, P-Mountain, J-Site, North and South Mountains, and a research rocket firing site.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- In 1957 construction began on 4 Nike Missile sites around the base, and they and their radar systems were operational by the end of 1958.
Facts about Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU):
- On January 1, 1945, 2nd Lt.
- In addition to being known as "Casco Cove Coast Guard Station", other names for ATU include "LORAN Station Attu" and "(former Naval Air Facility Attu)".
- The furthest airport from Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,631 miles (17,109 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Because of Casco Cove Coast Guard Station's relatively low elevation of 88 feet, planes can take off or land at Casco Cove Coast Guard Station 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 Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU) is Eareckson Air Station (SYA), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) ESE of ATU.
- Casco Cove is one of the most isolated and remote airports in the United States.
- Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU) currently has only 1 runway.
