Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Washington, D.C. / Virginia, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from THU to IAD:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- IAD Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about IAD
- 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 IAD
- List of Nearest Airports to IAD
- Map of Furthest Airports from IAD
- List of Furthest Airports from IAD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Washington, D.C. / Virginia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,611 miles (or 4,201 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 Washington Dulles International 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 Washington Dulles International 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: | IAD / KIAD |
| Airport Name: | Washington Dulles International Airport |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. / Virginia, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 38°56'39"N by 77°27'20"W |
| Area Served: | Washington metropolitan area |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 313 feet (95 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 5 |
| View all routes: | Routes from IAD |
| More Information: | IAD Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (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.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- Knud Rasmussen was the first to recognize the Pituffik plain as ideal for an airport.
- Thule became an Air Force Space Command base in 1982.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- Originally established as a Strategic Air Command installation, Thule would periodically serve as a dispersal base for B-36 Peacemaker and B-47 Stratojet aircraft during the 1950s, as well as providing an ideal site to test the operability and maintainability of these weapon systems in extreme cold weather.
- In 1959, the airbase was the main staging point for the construction of Camp Century, some 150 mi from the base.
Facts about Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD):
- Loudoun County Transit provides a bus service which runs from the Dulles Town Center shopping center, to the airport, then to the Steven F.
- Because of Washington Dulles International Airport's relatively low elevation of 313 feet, planes can take off or land at Washington Dulles 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.
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) has 5 runways.
- Under the development plan, future phases would see the addition of several new midfield concourses and a new south terminal.
- In September 2009, a 121,700 square feet central Transportation Security Administration checkpoint was added on a new security mezzanine level of the main terminal.
- The C and D concourses, completed in 1983 and designed by Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, were originally designed as a temporary base for United Airlines, which began hub operations at the airport in 1985.
- The furthest airport from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,659 miles (18,763 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO), which is located only 11 miles (17 kilometers) NNW of IAD.
