Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Lockhart River, Queensland, Australia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Lockhart River Airport (IRG), Lockhart River, Queensland, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,881 miles (or 12,684 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 Lockhart River 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 Lockhart River Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Thule Air Base (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 1949, Denmark joined NATO and abandoned its attempt to remove the United States bases.
• The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
• A board of Air Force officers headed by Gordon P.
• 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.
• On 21 January 1968, a B-52G Stratofortress from the 380th Strategic Aerospace Wing, Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York on a secret airborne nuclear alert crashed and burned on the ice near Thule Air Base.
• Late 1950s the DEW 1 to 4 where build as "weather stations", Thule Air Base would act as an supply station for the DYE bases.
• 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".

Facts about Lockhart River Airport (IRG):

• In addition, the 479th Service Squadron provided supplies for the B-26 and B-17s assigned to the airport, as well as operating a repair and maintenance depot for B-24 Liberator aircraft.
• The furthest airport from Lockhart River Airport (IRG) is Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE), which is located 11,611 miles (18,686 kilometers) away in São Vicente, Cape Verde.
• The closest airport to Lockhart River Airport (IRG) is Coen Airport (CUQ), which is located 69 miles (110 kilometers) S of IRG.
• On 7 May 2005 a Fairchild Metroliner aircraft crashed 6 nautical miles north-west of Lockhart River Airport, killing all 15 people on board.
• Lockhart River Airport (IRG) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Lockhart River Airport's relatively low elevation of 77 feet, planes can take off or land at Lockhart River 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.
• The airport was constructed during World War II, and was used as a bomber and communications base for many years.