Nonstop flight route between Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Atuona Airport (AUQ), Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia and McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,062 miles (or 6,536 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 Atuona 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 Atuona 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 Atuona Airport (AUQ):

• Atuona Airport (AUQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Atuona Airport", another name for AUQ is "Hiva Oa Airport".
• The furthest airport from Atuona Airport (AUQ) is Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport (DIR), which is nearly antipodal to Atuona Airport (meaning Atuona Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport), and is located 12,377 miles (19,919 kilometers) away in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
• The closest airport to Atuona Airport (AUQ) is Fangatau Airport (FGU), which is located 437 miles (703 kilometers) SSW of AUQ.

Facts about McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM):

• 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.
• McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) has 2 runways.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "McChord Field/McChord AFB", another name for TCM is "Part of Air Mobility Command (AMC)".
• 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 McChord Air Force Base facility was consolidated with the United States Army Fort Lewis on 1 February 2010 to become part of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord complex.
• Today, the successor organization to the 25th AD, the Western Air Defense Sector, is a major tenant organization at McChord, being one of two air defense sectors responsible for the security and integrity of continental United States air space.
• On 1 August 1946, McChord was assigned to the new Air Defense Command, with a mission of air defense of the United States.
• Starting in mid-1943 the training of B-17 and B-24 replacement crews began to be phased out, as the Second Air Force began ramping up training of B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bomb groups, destined for Twentieth Air Force.
• On 28 February 1938 the airfield was officially transferred to the United States Government.