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The "Short Northern Route"


Since the opening of Russia and the recent ease of getting clearances and crossing Russia and Siberia, a lot of Northern Hemisphere pilots have been tempted to use that short route to fly around the World.

Please see the NOTE at the bottom of the page.

That route, due to its high latitude is much shorter than any other route done further South. It is also very much easier to cross the Pacific Ocean through the Bering Strait than further South like between Hawaii and California or between Easter Island and Chile. The average length of a route done further South is 25, 000 NM and the average length of that rather new "Short Northern Route" is only 16,000 NM.

Also pilots from the Southern Hemisphere wanting to use that short Pacific crossing through the Bering Strait would have to cross the Equator to reach Alaska and Siberia.

With this in mind and without diminishing the merit of those RTW through that "Short Northern Route", we should make a difference between the two ways of crossing the Pacific Ocean, one being much longer and a lot more difficult and demanding and more adventurous than the other.

One could be called: the "Short Northern Route", and any of the others could be called: the "Long Southern Route" and mention of the crossing of the Equator if done


Approximate distances across the Pacific Ocean: (Not to be used for navigation).

FROMICAO TOICAOKMNM
NORTHERN ROUTE
Anadyr (Russia)UHMANome (Alaska)PAOM800430
Provideniya (Russia)UHMDNome (Alaska)PAOM375660
 
Anadyr (Russia)UHMAAnchorage (Alaska)PANC1660900
Provideniya (Russia)UHMDAnchorage (Alaska)PANC1220660
 
Chitose (Japan)RJCC Dutch Harbor (Aleutians) PADU39232118
Hokkaido (Japan)RJCK Attu Island (Aleutians) PAAT24511323
 
CENTRE ROUTE
Hilo (Hawaii)PTHOSanta Barbara (California)KSBA38252065
 
SOUTHERN ROUTE
Easter Island (Chili)SCIP Santiago (Chile)SCEL38252065
 


Approximate numbers of known crossings of the Pacific Ocean:

Northern Route (via the Bering Strait)196
Center Route (via Hawaii)73
Southern Route (via Easter Island)26


NOTE:
All this was written before the invasion of Ukraine by Putin's army.
Since that, it appears that the Russian Airspace is closed to any foreign aircraft.
Who wants to go there at the moment, anyway??


Last update: AUGUST 4, 2023 cm
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