Nonstop flight route between Temple, Texas, United States and Pituffik, Greenland:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL), Temple, Texas, United States and Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,269 miles (or 5,262 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 Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport and Thule Air Base, 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 Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport and Thule Air Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL):

• The furthest airport from Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,005 miles (17,712 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In addition to being known as "Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport", another name for TPL is "(former Temple Army Airfield)".
• Because of Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 682 feet, planes can take off or land at Draughon-Miller Central Texas 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.
• Temple AAF was a sub-base of Waco Army Airfield and was used as a basic flying school by the Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, Gulf Training Center.
• The closest airport to Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL) is Skylark Field (ILE), which is located only 17 miles (28 kilometers) WSW of TPL.
• Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL) has 2 runways.

Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):

• The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
• 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".
• In 1959, the airbase was the main staging point for the construction of Camp Century, some 150 mi from the base.
• 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.
• Thule Air Base is also home to the 821st Air Base Group and is responsible for air base support within the Thule Defense Area for the multinational population of "Team Thule." The base hosts the 12th Space Warning Squadron which operates a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System designed to detect and track ICBMs launched against North America.
• 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.
• In 1818, Sir John Ross’s expedition made first contact with nomadic Polar Eskimos in the area.
• There is only a brief period each year in the summer when sea ice thins sufficiently to send supply ships to the base.