Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Stoelmans Eiland, Suriname:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from THU to SMZ:
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- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- SMZ Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about SMZ
- 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 SMZ
- List of Nearest Airports to SMZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMZ
- List of Furthest Airports from SMZ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (SMZ), Stoelmans Eiland, Suriname would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,017 miles (or 8,074 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 Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip, 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 Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip. 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: |
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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: | SMZ / SMST |
Airport Name: | Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip |
Location: | Stoelmans Eiland, Suriname |
GPS Coordinates: | 4°20'59"N by 54°25'0"W |
Operator/Owner: | Luchtvaartdienst Suriname |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 187 feet (57 meters) |
View all routes: | Routes from SMZ |
More Information: | SMZ Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- Thule Air Base is home to the 21st Space Wing's global network of sensors providing missile warning, space surveillance and space control to North American Aerospace Defense Command and Air Force Space Command.
- 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 cluster of huts known as Pituffik stood on the wide plain where the base was built in 1951.
- 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 closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
Facts about Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (SMZ):
- Because of Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip's relatively low elevation of 187 feet, planes can take off or land at Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip 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 Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (SMZ) is Namrole Airport (NRE), which is nearly antipodal to Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (meaning Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Namrole Airport), and is located 12,353 miles (19,880 kilometers) away in Buru, Indonesia.
- The closest airport to Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (SMZ) is Drietabbetje Airstrip (DRJ), which is located 24 miles (38 kilometers) SW of SMZ.