Nonstop flight route between Catania, Italy and Mbambanakira, Solomon Islands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY), Catania, Italy and Mbambanakira Airport (MBU), Mbambanakira, Solomon Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,537 miles (or 15,348 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 Naval Air Station Sigonella and Mbambanakira 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 Naval Air Station Sigonella and Mbambanakira 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 Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY):

• On 1 April 2004, the Defense Logistics Agency opened Defense Depot Sigonella Italy on NAS II to serve as a supply base for the Mediterranean.
• In addition to being known as "Naval Air Station Sigonella", other names for NSY include "Base aerea di Sigonella" and "NAS Sigonella".
• One of Sigonella's first buildings was what is now the American Forces Network building.
• The closest airport to Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) is Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) ENE of NSY.
• Because of Naval Air Station Sigonella's relatively low elevation of 79 feet, planes can take off or land at Naval Air Station Sigonella 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.
• NAS Sigonella is the Navy's second largest security command, second only to that located at Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
• When NATO took military intervention to Libya in 2011, NAS Sigonella played an important role in US Operation Odyssey Dawn because of its short distance to the country.
• Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Naval Air Station Sigonella (NSY) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,695 miles (18,821 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Most permanent party military personnel and families are housed in Marinai, located 2 minutes from NAS II and approximately 10–15 minutes from NAS I.

Facts about Mbambanakira Airport (MBU):

• The closest airport to Mbambanakira Airport (MBU) is Honiara International Airport (formerly Henderson Field) (HIR), which is located 27 miles (43 kilometers) NNE of MBU.
• The furthest airport from Mbambanakira Airport (MBU) is Cap Skirring Airport (CSK), which is nearly antipodal to Mbambanakira Airport (meaning Mbambanakira Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cap Skirring Airport), and is located 12,141 miles (19,539 kilometers) away in Cap Skirring, Senegal.