Nonstop flight route between North Whale Pass, Alaska, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from WWP to BUA:
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- About this route
- WWP Airport Information
- BUA Airport Information
- Facts about WWP
- Facts about BUA
- Map of Nearest Airports to WWP
- List of Nearest Airports to WWP
- Map of Furthest Airports from WWP
- List of Furthest Airports from WWP
- Map of Nearest Airports to BUA
- List of Nearest Airports to BUA
- Map of Furthest Airports from BUA
- List of Furthest Airports from BUA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between North Whale Seaplane Base (WWP), North Whale Pass, Alaska, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,857 miles (or 9,426 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 North Whale Seaplane Base 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 North Whale Seaplane Base and Buka Island Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | WWP / |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | North Whale Pass, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 56°6'59"N by 133°7'18"W |
Area Served: | North Whale Pass, Alaska |
Operator/Owner: | State of Alaska DOT&PF - Southeast Region |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 0 feet (0 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from WWP |
More Information: | WWP Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BUA / AYBK |
Airport Name: | Buka Island Airport |
Location: | Buka Island, Papua New Guinea |
GPS Coordinates: | 5°25'19"S by 154°40'21"E |
Area Served: | Buka Island, Papua New Guinea |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 11 feet (3 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from BUA |
More Information: | BUA Maps & Info |
Facts about North Whale Seaplane Base (WWP):
- Because of North Whale Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at North Whale Seaplane Base 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 closest airport to North Whale Seaplane Base (WWP) is Coffman Cove Seaplane Base (KCC), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) ESE of WWP.
- In addition to being known as "North Whale Seaplane Base", another name for WWP is "96Z".
- North Whale Seaplane Base (WWP) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from North Whale Seaplane Base (WWP) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 10,610 miles (17,076 kilometers) away in Port Alfred, South Africa.
Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):
- The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
- On 13 May 1943 Allied reconnaissance observed 36 fighters and 6 bombers at the airstrip.
- In 2004, the airport experienced some closures due to land disputes.
- 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 Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- 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.