Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Springfield/Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from THU to CEF:
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- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- CEF Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about CEF
- 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 CEF
- List of Nearest Airports to CEF
- Map of Furthest Airports from CEF
- List of Furthest Airports from CEF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF), Springfield/Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,375 miles (or 3,822 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 relatively short distance between Thule Air Base and Westover Air Reserve Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | CEF / KCEF |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Springfield/Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 42°11'38"N by 72°32'4"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from CEF |
| More Information: | CEF Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- Knud Rasmussen was the first to recognize the Pituffik plain as ideal for an airport.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- In 1961, a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar was constructed at "J-Site," 21 km northeast of main base.
- Thule AB was constructed in secret under the code name Operation Blue Jay, but the project was made public in September 1952.
- 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.
- 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.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- In the winter of 1956/57 three KC-97 tankers and alternately one of two RB-47H aircraft made polar flights to inspect Soviet defenses.
Facts about Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF):
- The furthest airport from Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,731 miles (18,880 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- On 1 February 1946 Westover became an Air Transport Command base which meant that it was the terminus for air routes around the world.
- The closest airport to Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF) is Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF), which is located only 10 miles (15 kilometers) WSW of CEF.
- Westover was also the launching point of the heroic Berlin Airlift for 327 days during the Soviet blockade.
- Building at the base was constant throughout 1941.
- In February 1961, the 76th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was activated at Westover flying the supersonic F-102 Delta Dagger interceptor, assuming air defense duties.
- Since the Constructing Quartermaster had already planned the base, the first permanent masonry buildings were constructed east of the airfield to those designs, which were intended to be lasting and attractive.
- In addition to being known as "Westover Air Reserve Base", another name for CEF is "Westover ARB".
