Nonstop flight route between Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between N'djili Airport (FIH), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,491 miles (or 12,056 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 N'djili Airport and Grand Forks 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 N'djili Airport and Grand Forks 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 N'djili Airport (FIH):

• The airport has barely been maintained or upgraded and is still using the infrastructure built by the Belgians during the colonial era.
• N'djili Airport handled 672,347 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "N'djili Airport", another name for FIH is "Aéroport de N'djili".
• In 1998, N'Djili airport was the site of one of the decisive battles of the Second Congo War.
• The furthest airport from N'djili Airport (FIH) is Cassidy International Airport (CXI), which is located 11,913 miles (19,172 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Kiribati.
• The closest airport to N'djili Airport (FIH) is Maya–Maya Airport (BZV), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) NW of FIH.
• N'djili Airport (FIH) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR):

• During 1965, the wing’s three missile squadrons were activated and crew training and certification began at Vandenberg AFB in southern California.
• The closest airport to Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR) is Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), which is located only 10 miles (17 kilometers) E of RDR.
• Due to the continuance of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, GFAFB was originally an Air Defense Command fighter-interceptor air base.
• Survey teams selected sites in flat wheatlands close to the Canada-Minnesota border, north-northwest of Grand Forks.
• The DC-11 SAGE blockhouse was later the headquarters of the SAC 321st Strategic Missile Wing.
• The furthest airport from Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,504 miles (16,904 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• On 1 September 1958, the Strategic Air Command established the 4133d Strategic Wing at Grand Forks as part of its plan to disperse its B-52 heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.
• In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".