Nonstop flight route between Spearfish, South Dakota, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
(44°28'49"N by 103°46'59"W)
Arrival Airport:
(5°25'19"S by 154°40'21"E)
Distance from SPF to BUA:
7,049.33 miles (11,344.77 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- SPF Airport Information
- BUA Airport Information
- Facts about SPF
- Facts about BUA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SPF
- List of Nearest Airports to SPF
- Map of Furthest Airports from SPF
- List of Furthest Airports from SPF
- 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 Black Hills Airport (SPF), Spearfish, South Dakota, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,049 miles (or 11,345 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 Black Hills Airport 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 Black Hills Airport 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: | SPF / KSPF |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Spearfish, South Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°28'49"N by 103°46'59"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Lawrence County Airport Board |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 3931 feet (1,198 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 4 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SPF |
| More Information: | SPF 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 Black Hills Airport (SPF):
- The furthest airport from Black Hills Airport (SPF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,576 miles (17,020 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- Black Hills Airport (SPF) has 4 runways.
- In addition to being known as "Black Hills Airport", another name for SPF is "Clyde Ice Field".
- The closest airport to Black Hills Airport (SPF) is Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), which is located 42 miles (67 kilometers) ESE of SPF.
Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):
- Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 origins of the airfield begin in 1941 when Australian troops built gun pits around a primitive airstrip in December 1941.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 41.93 miles (67.49 km) ESE | Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |     |
| 2 | 46.83 miles (75.37 km) SE | Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States | |
| 3 | 87.15 miles (140.26 km) W | Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) | Gillette, Wyoming, United States | |
| 4 | 118.60 miles (190.86 km) SSE | Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) | Chadron, Nebraska, United States | |
| 5 | 119.06 miles (191.60 km) SSE | Pine Ridge Airport (XPR) | Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 6 | 119.17 miles (191.79 km) N | Bowman Municipal Airport (BWM) | Bowman, North Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 141.22 miles (227.28 km) SW | Converse County Airport (DGW) | Douglas, Wyoming, United States | |
| 8 | 158.48 miles (255.04 km) W | Sheridan County Airport (SHR) | Sheridan, Wyoming, United States | |
| 9 | 166.95 miles (268.68 km) NNE | Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) | Dickinson, North Dakota, United States | |
| 10 | 167.95 miles (270.29 km) S | Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR) | Torrington, Wyoming, United States | |
| 11 | 168.81 miles (271.67 km) NW | Miles City Airport (MLS) | Miles City, Montana, United States | |
| 12 | 172.45 miles (277.53 km) SW | Casper–Natrona County International AirportCasper Army Airfield (CPR) | Casper, Wyoming, United States | |
| 13 | 172.65 miles (277.86 km) E | Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) | Pierre, South Dakota, United States | |
| 14 | 174.77 miles (281.26 km) SSE | Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA) | Alliance, Nebraska, United States | |
| 15 | 180.33 miles (290.21 km) S | Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) | Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,575.67 miles (17,019.84 km) SSE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 10,465.10 miles (16,841.91 km) SE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,445.51 miles (16,810.38 km) SE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 4 | 10,423.12 miles (16,774.35 km) SE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 10,320.60 miles (16,609.36 km) ESE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 10,254.94 miles (16,503.69 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,231.49 miles (16,465.95 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,215.78 miles (16,440.66 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,207.37 miles (16,427.13 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 10,206.72 miles (16,426.07 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,177.37 miles (16,378.85 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 10,162.10 miles (16,354.27 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,157.15 miles (16,346.31 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,148.92 miles (16,333.06 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,140.14 miles (16,318.93 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 70.73 miles (113.82 km) NNW | Nissan Island Airport (IIS) | Nissan Island, Papua New Guinea | |
| 2 | 94.46 miles (152.01 km) SE | Kieta/Aropa Airport (KIE) | Kieta, Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea | |
| 3 | 136.91 miles (220.34 km) SE | Balalae Airport (BAS) | Ballalae, Solomon Islands | |
| 4 | 148.20 miles (238.51 km) SE | Choiseul Bay Airport (CHY) | Choiseul Bay, Taro Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 5 | 150.79 miles (242.66 km) SSE | Mono Airport (MNY) | Stirling Island, Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands | |
| 6 | 174.66 miles (281.09 km) WNW | Rabaul Airport (RAB) | Rabaul, Papua New Guinea | |
| 7 | 195.74 miles (315.01 km) NW | Namatanai Airport (ATN) | Namatanai, Papua New Guinea | |
| 8 | 198.38 miles (319.26 km) W | Manguna Airport (MFO) | Manguna, Papua New Guinea | |
| 9 | 216.52 miles (348.46 km) NW | Lihir Island Regional Airport (LNV) | Londolovit, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea | |
| 10 | 218.28 miles (351.28 km) W | Jacquinot Bay Airport (JAQ) | Jacquinot Bay, Papua New Guinea | |
| 11 | 238.34 miles (383.57 km) SE | Nusatupe Airport (GZO) | Gizo / Nusatupe, Western Province, Solomon Islands | |
| 12 | 239.73 miles (385.81 km) ESE | Kaghau Airport (KGE) | Kagau Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 13 | 268.10 miles (431.47 km) SE | Munda Airport (MUA) | Munda, New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 14 | 288.56 miles (464.39 km) SSW | Guasopa Airport (GAZ) | Guasopa, Papua New Guinea | |
| 15 | 293.54 miles (472.41 km) W | Hoskins Airport (HKN) | Hoskins, Papua New Guinea | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,780.59 miles (18,958.98 km) N | São Filipe Airport (SFL) | Fogo, Cape Verde | |
| 2 | 11,768.57 miles (18,939.63 km) N | Praia International Airport (RAI) | Praia, Cape Verde | |
| 3 | 11,768.55 miles (18,939.59 km) N | Mosteiros Airport (MTI) | Mosteiros, Cape Verde | |
| 4 | 11,749.15 miles (18,908.38 km) NNW | Maio Airport (MMO) | Maio, Cape Verde | |
| 5 | 11,678.23 miles (18,794.25 km) NNW | Aristides Pereira International Airport (BVC) | Boa Vista, Cape Verde | |
| 6 | 11,678.02 miles (18,793.91 km) NW | Cap Skirring Airport (CSK) | Cap Skirring, Senegal | |
| 7 | 11,671.84 miles (18,783.96 km) WNW | Bubaque Airport (BQE) | Bubaque, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 8 | 11,662.10 miles (18,768.29 km) N | Preguiça Airport (SNE) | São Nicolau, Cape Verde | |
| 9 | 11,648.17 miles (18,745.87 km) N | Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE) | São Vicente, Cape Verde | |
| 10 | 11,647.20 miles (18,744.31 km) NW | Ziguinchor Airport (ZIG) | Ziguinchor, Senegal | |
| 11 | 11,639.22 miles (18,731.47 km) NW | Osvaldo Vieira International Airport (OXB) | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 12 | 11,638.24 miles (18,729.88 km) NNW | Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID) | Sal Island, Cape Verde | |
| 13 | 11,631.66 miles (18,719.29 km) NW | Banjul International Airport (BJL) | Banjul, Gambia | |
| 14 | 11,629.96 miles (18,716.56 km) NE | Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) | Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 15 | 11,622.66 miles (18,704.82 km) N | Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO) | Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde | |