Nonstop flight route between Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Geraldton Airport (GET), Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia and McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,158 miles (or 14,738 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 Geraldton Airport and McChord Field/McChord AFB, 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 Geraldton Airport and McChord Field/McChord AFB. 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 Geraldton Airport (GET):

• Midwest Aviation, conduct aircraft maintenance and have aircraft engineers.
• Geraldton Airport (GET) has 3 runways.
• The closest significant aerodromes are Mullewa, 100 km to the east or Kalbarri 100 km to the north and for larger jet operations Perth Airport, 370 km to the south.
• The furthest airport from Geraldton Airport (GET) is L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA), which is nearly antipodal to Geraldton Airport (meaning Geraldton Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from L.F. Wade International Airport), and is located 12,188 miles (19,614 kilometers) away in Ferry Reach (near Hamilton), Bermuda.
• Because of Geraldton Airport's relatively low elevation of 121 feet, planes can take off or land at Geraldton 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.
• Flying training squadrons from RAAF Base Pearce also use Geraldton Airport.
• Geraldton Airport handled 104,051 passengers last year.
• The Royal Flying Doctor Service in Western Australia utilises the airport on an as required basis and has an aircraft hangar which is vested in the City of Greater Geraldton adjacent to the general aviation terminal.
• The closest airport to Geraldton Airport (GET) is Mullewa Airport (MXU), which is located 54 miles (87 kilometers) ENE of GET.
• Dunns Aerial Spraying & Spreading Service provides crop dusting services from the airport for up to nine months of each year.
• Geraldton Airport has daily Regular Public Transport services, Geraldton – Perth – Geraldton, provided by both QantasLink and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines using Dash 8-400 and Fokker 50 aircraft respectively.
• Geraldton is close enough to Perth to receive a significant number of private operations from aircraft based in Perth.

Facts about McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM):

• Part of Air Mobility Command
• On 28 February 1938 the airfield was officially transferred to the United States Government.
• McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) has 2 runways.
• The ADC radar site was deactivated 1 April 1960 and repositioned to Fort Lawton AFS where the Air Force consolidated its anti-aircraft radars with the United States Army Seattle Defense Area Army Air-Defense Command Post S-90DC for Nike missile operations.
• The 325th Fighter Group operated two squadrons of F-82F Twin Mustangs from McChord between 1948 and 1950, the first postwar fighter optimized for the air defense interceptor mission.
• On 6 October 1949, the 62nd received its first four-engine Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport.
• The McChord Air Museum features exhibits about McChord Field and a collection of restored military aircraft.
• In addition to being known as "McChord Field/McChord AFB", another name for TCM is "Part of Air Mobility Command (AMC)".
• The McChord Air Force Base facility was consolidated with the United States Army Fort Lewis on 1 February 2010 to become part of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord complex.
• The furthest airport from McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,803 miles (17,386 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Because of McChord Field/McChord AFB's relatively low elevation of 322 feet, planes can take off or land at McChord Field/McChord AFB 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 closest airport to McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Gray Army Airfield (GRF), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) SW of TCM.