Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
(76°31'51"N by 68°42'11"W)
Arrival Airport:
(28°34'47"S by 29°45'11"E)
Distance from THU to LAY:
8,269.78 miles (13,308.88 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- LAY Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about LAY
- 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 LAY
- List of Nearest Airports to LAY
- Map of Furthest Airports from LAY
- List of Furthest Airports from LAY
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Ladysmith Airport (LAY), Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,270 miles (or 13,309 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 Ladysmith 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 Ladysmith 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: | LAY / FALY |
| Airport Name: | Ladysmith Airport |
| Location: | Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 28°34'47"S by 29°45'11"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Municipal |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 3548 feet (1,081 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from LAY |
| More Information: | LAY Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- 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.
- The ratification of the treaty in 1951 did not change much, except that the Danish national flag Dannebrog must be side by side with Stars and Stripes on the 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.
- Thule AB was constructed in secret under the code name Operation Blue Jay, but the project was made public in September 1952.
- 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.
- A board of Air Force officers headed by Gordon P.
- 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.
Facts about Ladysmith Airport (LAY):
- The furthest airport from Ladysmith Airport (LAY) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,789 miles (18,972 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
- The closest airport to Ladysmith Airport (LAY) is Mokhotlong Airport (MKH), which is located 64 miles (102 kilometers) SW of LAY.
- Ladysmith Airport (LAY) currently has only 1 runway.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 69.00 miles (111.05 km) ESE | Savissivik Heliport (SVR) | Savissivik, Greenland |     |
| 2 | 92.13 miles (148.27 km) NNW | Siorapaluk Heliport (SRK) | Siorapaluk, Greenland | |
| 3 | 229.06 miles (368.63 km) W | Grise Fiord Airport (YGZ) | Grise Fiord, Nunavut, Canada | |
| 4 | 238.65 miles (384.06 km) ESE | Kullorsuaq Heliport (KHQ) | Kullorsuaq, Greenland | |
| 5 | 262.86 miles (423.04 km) ESE | Nuussuaq Heliport (NSQ) | Nuussuaq, Greenland | |
| 6 | 313.53 miles (504.57 km) SE | Tasiusaq Heliport (TQA) | Tasiusaq, Qaasuitsup, Greenland | |
| 7 | 314.36 miles (505.92 km) SW | Pond Inlet Airport (YIO) | Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada | |
| 8 | 322.94 miles (519.72 km) SE | Innaarsuit Heliport (IUI) | Innaarsuit, Greenland | |
| 9 | 336.81 miles (542.05 km) NW | Eureka Aerodrome (YEU) | Eureka, Nunavut, Canada | |
| 10 | 344.46 miles (554.35 km) SE | Upernavik Airport (JUV) | Upernavik, Greenland | |
| 11 | 345.57 miles (556.13 km) SE | Aappilattoq Heliport (AOQ) | Aappilattoq, Qaasuitsup, Greenland | |
| 12 | 374.63 miles (602.91 km) SE | Kangersuatsiaq Heliport (KGQ) | Kangersuatsiaq, Greenland | |
| 13 | 376.92 miles (606.58 km) WSW | Nanisivik Airport (YSR) | Nanisivik, Nunavut, Canada | |
| 14 | 381.61 miles (614.14 km) WSW | Arctic Bay Airport (YAB) | Arctic Bay, Nunavut, Canada | |
| 15 | 417.70 miles (672.23 km) S | Clyde River Airport (YCY) | Clyde River, Nunavut, Canada | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 9,882.84 miles (15,904.85 km) SW | Hobart International Airport (HBA) | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 2 | 9,870.98 miles (15,885.76 km) WSW | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 9,835.86 miles (15,829.25 km) WSW | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 9,799.28 miles (15,770.37 km) SW | Launceston Airport (LST) | Launceston, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 5 | 9,782.86 miles (15,743.95 km) SW | Devonport Airport (DPO) | Devonport, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 6 | 9,779.11 miles (15,737.92 km) SW | Burnie Airport (BWT) | Burnie, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 7 | 9,775.29 miles (15,731.77 km) WSW | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 9,775.14 miles (15,731.52 km) SW | Smithton Airport (SIO) | Smithton, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 9 | 9,772.93 miles (15,727.96 km) SW | St Helens Airport (HLS) | St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 10 | 9,772.19 miles (15,726.78 km) SW | George Town Aerodrome (GEE) | George Town, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 11 | 9,741.00 miles (15,676.59 km) WSW | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 9,738.17 miles (15,672.03 km) WSW | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 9,727.70 miles (15,655.17 km) WSW | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 9,723.24 miles (15,648.00 km) SW | King Island Airport (KNS) | Currie, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 15 | 9,710.84 miles (15,628.05 km) WSW | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 63.59 miles (102.34 km) SW | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |
| 2 | 83.35 miles (134.14 km) SSE | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 3 | 104.79 miles (168.64 km) W | Leribe Airport (LRB) | Leribe, Lesotho | |
| 4 | 108.73 miles (174.98 km) SE | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 5 | 112.17 miles (180.53 km) SW | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 6 | 117.02 miles (188.33 km) SW | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 7 | 134.11 miles (215.83 km) SW | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 8 | 142.22 miles (228.88 km) E | Richards Bay Airport (RCB) | Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 9 | 146.27 miles (235.40 km) WSW | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 158.42 miles (254.95 km) ENE | Hluhluwe Airport (HLW) | Hluhluwe, South Africa | |
| 11 | 161.42 miles (259.78 km) SSE | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 12 | 165.67 miles (266.61 km) NNW | Heidelberg Airport (HDB) | Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | |
| 13 | 170.72 miles (274.75 km) NE | Matsapha Airport (MTS) | Manzini, Swaziland | |
| 14 | 173.30 miles (278.90 km) WSW | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 189.05 miles (304.24 km) NNW | Rand Airport (QRA) | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,788.69 miles (18,972.01 km) NE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,779.63 miles (18,957.44 km) NE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,776.10 miles (18,951.74 km) NE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,774.16 miles (18,948.63 km) NE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,768.02 miles (18,938.75 km) NE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,762.72 miles (18,930.22 km) NNE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,754.11 miles (18,916.36 km) NNE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,753.63 miles (18,915.58 km) NE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,753.04 miles (18,914.64 km) NNE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,745.58 miles (18,902.64 km) NE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,743.32 miles (18,898.99 km) NE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,742.27 miles (18,897.31 km) NE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,742.27 miles (18,897.31 km) NE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,741.74 miles (18,896.45 km) NNE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,735.27 miles (18,886.04 km) NE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |