This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations. Because of Chumphon Airport's relatively low elevation of 18 feet, planes can take off or land at Chumphon Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation.

You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map! Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Chumphon Airport and Moody Air Force Base. Because of the large distance between Chumphon Airport and Moody Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason. 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 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. A direct, nonstop flight between Chumphon Airport (CJM), Chumphon, Thailand and Moody Air Force Base (VAD), Valdosta, Georgia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,552 miles (or 15,373 kilometers).ДЄ Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere.

Pioneer xchm 86d