Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Massena, New York, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from THU to MSS:
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- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- MSS Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about MSS
- Map of Nearest Airports to THU
- List of Nearest Airports to THU
- Map of Furthest Airports from THU
- List of Furthest Airports from THU
- Map of Nearest Airports to MSS
- List of Nearest Airports to MSS
- Map of Furthest Airports from MSS
- List of Furthest Airports from MSS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Massena International Airport (MSS), Massena, New York, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,190 miles (or 3,525 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 relatively short distance between Thule Air Base and Massena International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | THU / BGTL |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Pituffik, Greenland |
GPS Coordinates: | 76°31'51"N by 68°42'11"W |
View all routes: | Routes from THU |
More Information: | THU Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MSS / KMSS |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Massena, New York, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 44°56'8"N by 74°50'44"W |
Area Served: | Massena, New York |
Operator/Owner: | Town of Massena |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 222 feet (68 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from MSS |
More Information: | MSS Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- Thule Air Base is also home to the 821st Air Base Group and is responsible for air base support within the Thule Defense Area for the multinational population of "Team Thule." The base hosts the 12th Space Warning Squadron which operates a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System designed to detect and track ICBMs launched against North America.
- In 1959, the airbase was the main staging point for the construction of Camp Century, some 150 mi from the base.
- After the German occupation of Denmark on 9 April 1940, Henrik Kauffmann Danish Ambassador to the United States, made an agreement "In the name of the king" with the United States authorizing the United States to defend the Danish colonies on Greenland from German aggression - this agreement faced Kaufmann with a charge of high treason.
- Thule AB was constructed in secret under the code name Operation Blue Jay, but the project was made public in September 1952.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- In the winter of 1956/57 three KC-97 tankers and alternately one of two RB-47H aircraft made polar flights to inspect Soviet defenses.
- Originally established as a Strategic Air Command installation, Thule would periodically serve as a dispersal base for B-36 Peacemaker and B-47 Stratojet aircraft during the 1950s, as well as providing an ideal site to test the operability and maintainability of these weapon systems in extreme cold weather.
- There is only a brief period each year in the summer when sea ice thins sufficiently to send supply ships to the base.
- The furthest airport from Thule Air Base (THU) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,883 miles (15,905 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Facts about Massena International Airport (MSS):
- The closest airport to Massena International Airport (MSS) is Cornwall Regional Airport (YCC), which is located only 17 miles (28 kilometers) NE of MSS.
- The furthest airport from Massena International Airport (MSS) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,511 miles (18,525 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The airport is served commercially by Cape Air, with direct flights to Albany International Airport in Albany, New York on 9-seat Cessna 402 aircraft.
- Massena International Airport (MSS) has 2 runways.
- In addition to being known as "Massena International Airport", another name for MSS is "Richards Field".
- Because of Massena International Airport's relatively low elevation of 222 feet, planes can take off or land at Massena International 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.