Nonstop flight route between Port Townsend, Washington, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield (TWD), Port Townsend, Washington, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,154 miles (or 9,903 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 Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield and Buka Island 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 Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield and Buka Island Airport. 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 Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield (TWD):

• Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield (TWD) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield", another name for TWD is "0S9".
• The furthest airport from Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield (TWD) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,752 miles (17,303 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The closest airport to Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield (TWD) is A.J. Eisenberg Airport (ODW), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) NNE of TWD.
• Because of Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 108 feet, planes can take off or land at Jefferson County International AirportPort Townsend Army Airfield 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.

Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):

• The furthest airport from Buka Island Airport (BUA) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,781 miles (18,959 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
• Buka Airport is an airport serving Buka Island in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.
• Because of Buka Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Buka Island 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.
• It is located at the southern end of the island, near Buka Passage behind the town of Buka, and pre-war Chinatown.
• In 2004, the airport experienced some closures due to land disputes.
• Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
• Today the airport is the primary air portal into Bougainville, and even 60 years after the war, wreckage from the military use of the airfield by the Japanese and Americans is easily found in the area.
• On 26 July, an Imperial Japanese Navy special detachment was sent to inspect Buka Airfield, but considered it unacceptable as a prospect for a speedily constructed major airfield.