Nonstop flight route between Warton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Warton Aerodrome (WRT), Warton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,868 miles (or 14,271 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 Warton Aerodrome 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 Warton Aerodrome 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 Warton Aerodrome (WRT):

• Warton Aerodrome (WRT) currently has only 1 runway.
• The final new build Tornado left Warton in 1998, a GR.1 for Saudi Arabia.
• The closest airport to Warton Aerodrome (WRT) is Blackpool International Airport (BLK), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) WNW of WRT.
• With the merger of English Electric Aviation and the other aircraft divisions of the major British manufacturers in 1960, it became a British Aircraft Corporation site.
• Warton was also used for development flying of the Nimrod MRA4 Maritime Reconnaissance and Attack aircraft until the aircraft was cut in the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010.
• Today the airfield is a major assembly and testing facility of BAE Systems Military Air & Information.
• The airfield was first operated as an air depot of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, as thousands of aircraft were processed on their way to active service in Britain, North Africa, the Mediterranean and mainland Europe.
• In 1940 new runways were built at Warton so that it could act as a "satellite" airfield for the RAF Coastal Command station at Squires Gate airfield in Blackpool.
• The furthest airport from Warton Aerodrome (WRT) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,820 miles (19,022 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
• Because of Warton Aerodrome's relatively low elevation of 55 feet, planes can take off or land at Warton Aerodrome 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):

• Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
• In 2004, the airport experienced some closures due to land disputes.
• 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.