Nonstop flight route between Cuenca, Ecuador and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mariscal Lamar International Airport (CUE), Cuenca, Ecuador and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,346 miles (or 6,993 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 Mariscal Lamar International Airport and Gray Army Airfield, 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 Mariscal Lamar International Airport and Gray Army Airfield. 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 Mariscal Lamar International Airport (CUE):

• The furthest airport from Mariscal Lamar International Airport (CUE) is Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB), which is nearly antipodal to Mariscal Lamar International Airport (meaning Mariscal Lamar International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport), and is located 12,396 miles (19,950 kilometers) away in Subang (near Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia.
• Mariscal Lamar International Airport (CUE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Mariscal Lamar International Airport's high elevation of 8,306 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at CUE. Combined with a high temperature, this could make CUE a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The closest airport to Mariscal Lamar International Airport (CUE) is Col. Edmundo Carvajal Airport (XMS), which is located 72 miles (116 kilometers) NE of CUE.
• In addition to being known as "Mariscal Lamar International Airport", another name for CUE is "Aeropuerto Mariscal Lamar".

Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• During the Vietnam War, GAAF not only trained helicopter units, but fixed-wing aircraft units as well.
• Because of Gray Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 300 feet, planes can take off or land at Gray Army Airfield 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 Fort Lewis airfield housed observation planes.
• Reactivated following service in Vietnam, the 9th Infantry Division aviation units occupied GAAF in 1972.
• The Washington National Guard 66th Aviation Brigade trains at Grey AAF and provides transportation support for fighting wildfires.
• The 9th Cavalry Brigade in the 1980s developed air-assault strategies with their AH-1 Cobra helicopters based upon experiences learned in Vietnam.
• Company A, 5th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, conducts high-altitude search-and-rescue operations.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• During the Korean War, GAAF continued in the role as a training and division support field.
• The closest airport to Gray Army Airfield (GRF) is McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) NE of GRF.
• In October 1921 Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” biplanes flew from the Naval Station at Sand Point to a grass airfield at what was then called "Camp Lewis", located at a site just west of today’s Gray AAF.
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• With World War II, Gray Army Airfield received 1.7 million dollars for new hangars and improved facilities.
• The furthest airport from Gray Army Airfield (GRF) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,809 miles (17,395 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.