Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Blagoveshchensk, Amur Oblast, Russia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Ignatyevo Airport (BQS), Blagoveshchensk, Amur Oblast, Russia would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,069 miles (or 4,939 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 Elmendorf Air Force Base and Ignatyevo Airport, 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 Elmendorf Air Force Base and Ignatyevo Airport. 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 Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• On 22 September 1995, a Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne early warning and control aircraft with 22 USAF personnel and two Canadian air crew members crashed after ingesting a flock of Canada Geese, killing all on board.
• The late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s brought about a gradual, but significant decline in air defense forces in Alaska due to mission changes and the demands of the Vietnam War.
• The strategic importance of Elmendorf AFB was graphically realized during the spring of 1980 when the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed eight of its F-4Es to Korea to participate in exercise Team Spirit.
• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• Construction on Elmendorf Field began on 8 June 1940, as a major and permanent military airfield near Anchorage.
• On 12 November 1940, the War Department formally designated what had been popularly referred to as Elmendorf Field as Fort Richardson.
• The furthest airport from Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,542 miles (16,965 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Air defense forces reached their zenith in 1957 with almost 200 fighter aircraft assigned to six fighter interceptor squadrons located at Elmendorf AFB and Ladd AFB.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".

Facts about Ignatyevo Airport (BQS):

• In addition to being known as "Ignatyevo Airport", another name for BQS is "Аэропорт Игнатьево".
• The closest airport to Ignatyevo Airport (BQS) is Heihe Airport (HEK), which is located only 18 miles (29 kilometers) SSW of BQS.
• The furthest airport from Ignatyevo Airport (BQS) is Port Stanley Airport (PSY), which is nearly antipodal to Ignatyevo Airport (meaning Ignatyevo Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Port Stanley Airport), and is located 12,195 miles (19,626 kilometers) away in Stanley, Falkland Islands, United Kingdom.
• Ignatyevo Airport (BQS) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Ignatyevo Airport's relatively low elevation of 640 feet, planes can take off or land at Ignatyevo 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.