Nonstop flight route between Ajaccio, Corsica, France and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA), Ajaccio, Corsica, France and McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,599 miles (or 9,011 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 Napoleon Bonaparte Airport and McChord Field/McChord AFB, 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 Napoleon Bonaparte Airport and McChord Field/McChord AFB. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA):

• Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1940 a Vichy Air Corp unit was kept inactive at Campo dell'Oro.
• The closest airport to Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA) is Figari-Sud Corse Airport (Figari South Corsica Airport) (FSC), which is located 33 miles (53 kilometers) SSE of AJA.
• In 1944 the United States Army Air Forces took over the airport and put down a hard surface of perforated metallic mats from which a squadron of P-51's flew.
• In addition to being known as "Napoleon Bonaparte Airport", another name for AJA is "Aéroport d'Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte".
• Because of Napoleon Bonaparte Airport's relatively low elevation of 17 feet, planes can take off or land at Napoleon Bonaparte 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.
• The furthest airport from Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (meaning Napoleon Bonaparte Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,140 miles (19,538 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.

Facts about McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM):

• McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,803 miles (17,386 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The closest airport to McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Gray Army Airfield (GRF), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) SW of TCM.
• The McChord Air Museum features exhibits about McChord Field and a collection of restored military aircraft.
• In 1940 McChord Field became the headquarters of the GHQ Air Force Northwest Air District, with a mission for the defense of the Pacific Northwest and Upper Great Plains regions of the United States.
• SeADS was inactivated on 1 April 1966 and the SAGE headquarters combat center came under the 25th Air Division.
• Because of McChord Field/McChord AFB's relatively low elevation of 322 feet, planes can take off or land at McChord Field/McChord AFB 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.
• On 1 August 1946, McChord was assigned to the new Air Defense Command, with a mission of air defense of the United States.
• In 1947 Tactical Air Command moved the 62d Troop Carrier Group to McChord Field from Bergstrom Field, Texas.
• In addition to being known as "McChord Field/McChord AFB", another name for TCM is "Part of Air Mobility Command (AMC)".