Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Safford, Arizona, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from THU to SAD:
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- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- SAD Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about SAD
- 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 SAD
- List of Nearest Airports to SAD
- Map of Furthest Airports from SAD
- List of Furthest Airports from SAD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Safford Regional Airport (SAD), Safford, Arizona, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,283 miles (or 5,283 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 Safford Regional 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 Safford Regional 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: | SAD / KSAD |
Airport Name: | Safford Regional Airport |
Location: | Safford, Arizona, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 32°51'11"N by 109°38'6"W |
Area Served: | Safford, Arizona |
Operator/Owner: | City of Safford |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 3179 feet (969 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from SAD |
More Information: | SAD Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- 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.
- In 1961, a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar was constructed at "J-Site," 21 km northeast of main base.
- In 1959, the airbase was the main staging point for the construction of Camp Century, some 150 mi from the base.
- In 1954, the 378 m Globecom Tower, a tower for military radio communication, was built at Northmountain.
- 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.
- Knud Rasmussen was the first to recognize the Pituffik plain as ideal for an airport.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
Facts about Safford Regional Airport (SAD):
- Safford Regional Airport (SAD) has 2 runways.
- The airport covers 630 acres at an elevation of 3,179 feet.
- The closest airport to Safford Regional Airport (SAD) is Greenlee County Airport (CFT), which is located 26 miles (41 kilometers) ENE of SAD.
- The furthest airport from Safford Regional Airport (SAD) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,434 miles (18,401 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.