Nonstop flight route between Awasa, Ethiopia and Great Falls, Montana, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Awasa International Airport (AWA), Awasa, Ethiopia and Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,237 miles (or 13,256 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 Awasa International Airport and Malmstrom Air Force Base, 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 Awasa International Airport and Malmstrom Air Force Base. 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 Awasa International Airport (AWA):

• Awasa International Airport (AWA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Awasa International Airport (AWA) is Arba Minch Airport (AMH), which is located 95 miles (152 kilometers) SW of AWA.
• Because of Awasa International Airport's high elevation of 5,149 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at AWA. Combined with a high temperature, this could make AWA a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The furthest airport from Awasa International Airport (AWA) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is nearly antipodal to Awasa International Airport (meaning Awasa International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Atuona Airport), and is located 12,184 miles (19,609 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):

• With the development of the three-stage, solid-fuel Minuteman I missile in the late 1950s SAC began searching for sites to deploy this revolutionary weapon.
• Great Falls became the temporary home of the 582nd Air Resupply and Communications Wing on 1 May 1953 which was transferred from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• Great Falls played a major aerial defense role in North American air defense mission.
• The furthest airport from Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,495 miles (16,891 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Upon completion of the B-17 training program, in October 1943, Great Falls Army Air Base was transferred to the Air Transport Command and units from Gore Field were transferred to the base.
• DC-20 was initially under the Great Falls Air Defense Sector, established on 1 March 1959.
• MATS reopened the C-54 Flight Training School as the 1272 Medium Transition Training Unit in May 1950, one month before the Korean War began.
• The closest airport to Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Great Falls International Airport (GTF), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) W of GFA.
• Later, the 517th Air Transport Wing was redesginated the 1701st Air Transport Wing on 1 June 1948 when Air Transport Command was redesignated the Military Air Transport Service.
• In 1957, under the control of the 801st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, the Malmstrom AFB radar station became operational with AN/FPS-20 search and AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars.