Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Pierre, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from THU to PIR:
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- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- PIR Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about PIR
- 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 PIR
- List of Nearest Airports to PIR
- Map of Furthest Airports from PIR
- List of Furthest Airports from PIR
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Pierre Regional Airport (PIR), Pierre, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,398 miles (or 3,860 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 Pierre Regional Airport, 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: | PIR / KPIR |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Pierre, South Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°22'58"N by 100°17'9"W |
| Area Served: | Pierre, South Dakota |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Pierre |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 1744 feet (532 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from PIR |
| More Information: | PIR Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- Thule Air Base or Thule Air Base/Pituffik Airport, is the United States Air Force's northernmost base, located 1,207 km north of the Arctic Circle and 1,524 km from the North Pole on the northwest side of the island of Greenland.
- 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.
- In 1961, a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar was constructed at "J-Site," 21 km northeast of main base.
- 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.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- After liberation, Denmark ratified the Kauffmann treaty but began efforts to take over U.S.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
Facts about Pierre Regional Airport (PIR):
- The closest airport to Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) is Mobridge Municipal Airport (MBG), which is located 81 miles (130 kilometers) N of PIR.
- In addition to being known as "Pierre Regional Airport", another name for PIR is "Pierre Army Airfield".
- Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,493 miles (16,887 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 15,983 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 13,692 in 2009 and 14,686 in 2010.
- A new terminal has been designed, and construction began in late Spring, 2011.
- During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces by Air Technical Service Command as a maintenance and supply depot.
