Nonstop flight route between Springfield/Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States and Great Falls, Montana, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from CEF to GFA:
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- About this route
- CEF Airport Information
- GFA Airport Information
- Facts about CEF
- Facts about GFA
- Map of Nearest Airports to CEF
- List of Nearest Airports to CEF
- Map of Furthest Airports from CEF
- List of Furthest Airports from CEF
- Map of Nearest Airports to GFA
- List of Nearest Airports to GFA
- Map of Furthest Airports from GFA
- List of Furthest Airports from GFA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF), Springfield/Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States and Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,908 miles (or 3,071 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 relatively short distance between Westover Air Reserve Base and Malmstrom Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | CEF / KCEF |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Springfield/Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 42°11'38"N by 72°32'4"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from CEF |
| More Information: | CEF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GFA / KGFA |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Great Falls, Montana, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 47°30'16"N by 111°11'13"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from GFA |
| More Information: | GFA Maps & Info |
Facts about Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF):
- On 1 February 1946 Westover became an Air Transport Command base which meant that it was the terminus for air routes around the world.
- In addition to being known as "Westover Air Reserve Base", another name for CEF is "Westover ARB".
- During World War II Westover saw the training and formation of Airborne engineer aviation battalions to be used for rapidly establishing airfields in forward areas.
- ADC established a more substantial presence in July 1957 when the 4729th Air Defense Group was activated.
- Four-engine C-54 Skymaster and shorter-range C-47 Skytrain transports took supplies and reinforcements from Westover to the armed forces and returned with the wounded and discharged troops.
- The closest airport to Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF) is Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF), which is located only 10 miles (15 kilometers) WSW of CEF.
- Westover Air Reserve Base is an Air Force Reserve Command installation located in the Massachusetts communities of Chicopee and Ludlow, near the city of Springfield, Massachusetts.
- The original airfield at Westover consisted of three runways in the standard "A" pattern to accommodate landings in all directions based on wind direction.
- Westover Field was placed under the jurisdiction of the Northeast Air District, later First Air Force, with the 25th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron the main Base Operating Unit.
- The furthest airport from Westover Air Reserve Base (CEF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,731 miles (18,880 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):
- 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.
- In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
- The 801st Radar Squadron was inactivated on 31 December 1969 due to budget reductions.
- 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.
- Great Falls played a major aerial defense role in North American air defense mission.
- DC-20 was initially under the Great Falls Air Defense Sector, established on 1 March 1959.
- This included one of the greatest technology transfers in the history of the world.
- With the phaseout of the B-36 from the inventory in the late 1950s, the need for fighter escorts of SAC bombers was eliminated.
