Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and San Juan Island, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Roche Harbor Seaplane Base (RCE), San Juan Island, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,419 miles (or 3,892 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 Roche Harbor Seaplane Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):

• In 1961, a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar was constructed at "J-Site," 21 km northeast of main base.
• Thule Air Base is the U.S.
• 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 addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
• 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 closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
• 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.
• 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 1949, Denmark joined NATO and abandoned its attempt to remove the United States bases.

Facts about Roche Harbor Seaplane Base (RCE):

• In addition to being known as "Roche Harbor Seaplane Base", another name for RCE is "W39".
• Because of Roche Harbor Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Roche Harbor Seaplane Base 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 furthest airport from Roche Harbor Seaplane Base (RCE) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,722 miles (17,256 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The closest airport to Roche Harbor Seaplane Base (RCE) is Friday Harbor Seaplane Base (FBS), which is located only 8 miles (14 kilometers) SE of RCE.
• Roche Harbor Seaplane Base (RCE) has 2 runways.