Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Oranjestad, Aruba:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA), Oranjestad, Aruba would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,386 miles (or 5,449 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 Malmstrom Air Force Base and Queen Beatrix International 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 Malmstrom Air Force Base and Queen Beatrix International 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 Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):

• By 1954, several aircraft control and warning squadrons had been formed at the base.
• Great Falls became the temporary home of the 582nd Air Resupply and Communications Wing on 1 May 1953 which was transferred from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.
• The furthest airport from Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,495 miles (16,891 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union increased dramatically when the Soviet Union closed all land travel between the western occupation sectors of Germany and the American, French and British sectors of Berlin.
• The closest airport to Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Great Falls International Airport (GTF), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) W of GFA.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• On 18 December 1953, Great Falls AFB was transferred from Military Air Transport Service to Strategic Air Command, although MATS units remained at the base for several years.
• Originally named Great Falls Army Air Base, later Great Falls Air Force Base, the facility was renamed Malmstrom Air Force Base on 1 October 1955 in honor of Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom.

Facts about Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA):

• The closest airport to Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) is Josefa Camejo International Airport (LSP), which is located 51 miles (81 kilometers) S of AUA.
• A terminal for private aircraft opened in 2007.
• Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Queen Beatrix International Airport's relatively low elevation of 60 feet, planes can take off or land at Queen Beatrix International 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.
• Queen Beatrix International Airport, located in Oranjestad, Aruba, is an aviation facility.
• In addition to being known as "Queen Beatrix International Airport", another name for AUA is "Internationale luchthaven Koningin BeatrixAeropuerto Internacional Reina Beatrix".
• The furthest airport from Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) is Christmas Island Airport (XCH), which is nearly antipodal to Queen Beatrix International Airport (meaning Queen Beatrix International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christmas Island Airport), and is located 12,113 miles (19,494 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Australia.