Transpacific
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Transpacific is a contemporary term referring to travel over a stretch of water between the Asia-Pacific region and the West Coast of United States, namely, the Pacific Ocean. For example, flights from U.S. to New Zealand via Hawaii are considered a transpacific stopover. A similar term, transatlantic, encompasses an alternate geographic area.
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[edit] Transpacific as part of the Trans Global Highway
The Trans Global Highway is a proposed highway system which would link the continents of Earth, with the exception of Australia and Antarctica, through a network of new and existing bridges and tunnels. It was proposed by Frank X. Didik. This would include the connection of North America to Asia and the rest of Eurasia.
[edit] Bering Strait Tunnel
One of the major components of the proposal is to span the Bering Sea with the Intercontinental Peace Bridge or AmerAsian Peace Tunnel.
It is proposed that the tunnel start on the United States side, from the town of Cape Prince of Wales, which has a population of 156 and about 80 buildings, including a large school, streets and general store, and end at the Russian settlement of Naukan or 2 km north at the Dezhnev settlement. The Bering Strait Tunnel would consist of 3 tunnels connecting Alaska and Russia by going through two islands (the Little Diomede(USA) and Big Diomede (Russia)). The longest single tunnel would be 24 miles (40 km). Since the Bering Sea at the proposed crossing has a maximum known depth of only 170 feet (50 m), it is proposed that the tunnel be dug using conventional, modern tunnel boring machines, of the type that was employed in the construction of the Chunnel. The three tunnel proposal would be much preferred over a bridge for a variety of reasons including that fact that during the winter months, the Bering Strait is iced over and a bridge would be subject to severe environmental conditions. Further, in most cases, tunnels are less expensive to construct and maintain. Suspended under water tunnels are not suggested for this crossing, because of the shallow depth of the Bering Strait
It should be noted that presently, many tunnels around the world are as long as the longest tunnel needed to complete the Trans-Global Highway. The "Chunnel" linking England with Europe is approximately 31.34 miles (50.45km) long, the ocean tunnel Seikan linking Hokkaidō with Honshū in Japan is 33.46 miles (55.86km) long, while the new Swiss Gotthard Base Tunnel through the Alps, currently under construction, will be 35.7 miles (59.60km) long. There are in fact, 5 tunnels over 30 miles in length, in existence today.[1]
[edit] In aviation
Transpacific flights are usually considered long-haul (especially from Asia except Korea and Japan and/or Middle East. The world's currently longest non-stop flights are all transpacific (Singapore/Bangkok/Hong Kong-Los Angeles/New York/Newark, New Jersey), and the duration of these flights are usually over 15 hours. Long-haul flights from Australia to the West Coast of the United States are also transpacific and include the lucrative Sydney and Melbourne-Los Angeles routes, which are 13 and 14 hours long respectively.
The first transpacific flights were operated by Pan Am's flying clippers, and the first non-stop service was Hong Kong-Vancouver, British Columbia, started by Cathay Pacific in 1983.
