Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Araxos / Patras, Greece:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from THU to GPA:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- GPA Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about GPA
- 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 GPA
- List of Nearest Airports to GPA
- Map of Furthest Airports from GPA
- List of Furthest Airports from GPA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Araxos Airport (GPA), Araxos / Patras, Greece would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,669 miles (or 5,905 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 Araxos 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 Thule Air Base and Araxos Airport. 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: |
|
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: | GPA / LGRX |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Araxos / Patras, Greece |
GPS Coordinates: | 38°9'3"N by 21°25'32"E |
Area Served: | Patras & Pyrgos, Greece |
Operator/Owner: | Greek Armed Forces |
Airport Type: | Military / Civilian |
Elevation: | 46 feet (14 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from GPA |
More Information: | GPA Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- 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.
- 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.
- After the German occupation of Denmark on 9 April 1940, Henrik Kauffmann Danish Ambassador to the United States, made an agreement "In the name of the king" with the United States authorizing the United States to defend the Danish colonies on Greenland from German aggression - this agreement faced Kaufmann with a charge of high treason.
- A cluster of huts known as Pituffik stood on the wide plain where the base was built in 1951.
- There is only a brief period each year in the summer when sea ice thins sufficiently to send supply ships to the base.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- A board of Air Force officers headed by Gordon P.
- 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.
Facts about Araxos Airport (GPA):
- Araxos was established as a military airport in 1936, but was construction of the runway not completed until 1941, when it also became the site of the first radar installation in Greece.
- It is also known as Araxos National Airport.
- The closest airport to Araxos Airport (GPA) is Agrinio Airport (AGQ), which is located 31 miles (51 kilometers) N of GPA.
- The furthest airport from Araxos Airport (GPA) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,428 miles (18,392 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- Because of Araxos Airport's relatively low elevation of 46 feet, planes can take off or land at Araxos 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.
- Araxos Airport (GPA) currently has only 1 runway.
- In addition to being known as "Araxos Airport", another name for GPA is "Αεροδρόμιο Αράξου".