Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Balakovo, Saratov Oblast, Russia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Balakovo Airport (BWO), Balakovo, Saratov Oblast, Russia would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,562 miles (or 7,343 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 Balakovo 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 Balakovo 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):

• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• The Elmendorf AFB is a site of one of the now decommissioned FLR-9 Wullenweber-class antennas, a node of the now obsolete High Frequency SIGINT direction finding system.
• The uncertain world situation in late 1940s and early 1950s caused a major buildup of air defense forces in Alaska.
• The installation hosts the headquarters for the United States Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, U.S.
• The 1980s witnessed a period of growth and modernization of Elmendorf AFB.

Facts about Balakovo Airport (BWO):

• In addition to being known as "Balakovo Airport", another name for BWO is "Аэропорт Балаково".
• The closest airport to Balakovo Airport (BWO) is Tsentralny Airport (RTW), which is located 76 miles (122 kilometers) WSW of BWO.
• The furthest airport from Balakovo Airport (BWO) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 10,444 miles (16,809 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Because of Balakovo Airport's relatively low elevation of 95 feet, planes can take off or land at Balakovo 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.
• Balakovo Airport (BWO) currently has only 1 runway.