Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Somerset, Kentucky, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from THU to SME:
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- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- SME Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about SME
- 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 SME
- List of Nearest Airports to SME
- Map of Furthest Airports from SME
- List of Furthest Airports from SME
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME), Somerset, Kentucky, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,772 miles (or 4,461 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 Lake Cumberland 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 Lake Cumberland 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: | SME / KSME |
Airport Name: | Lake Cumberland Regional Airport |
Location: | Somerset, Kentucky, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°3'12"N by 84°36'56"W |
Area Served: | Somerset, Kentucky |
Operator/Owner: | Somerset-Pulaski County |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 927 feet (283 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SME |
More Information: | SME Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- In 1818, Sir John Ross’s expedition made first contact with nomadic Polar Eskimos in the area.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of 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 1961, a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar was constructed at "J-Site," 21 km northeast of main base.
- 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 Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME):
- The furthest airport from Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,309 miles (18,200 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Because of Lake Cumberland Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 927 feet, planes can take off or land at Lake Cumberland Regional 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 renamed in 2008.
- Lake Cumberland Regional Airport covers an area of 288 acres at an elevation of 927 feet above mean sea level.
- Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME) is London-Corbin Airport (LOZ), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) E of SME.