Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Batticaloa, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Batticaloa Airport (BTC), Batticaloa, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,542 miles (or 13,747 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 Batticaloa 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 Batticaloa 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):

• Later, the 517th Air Transport Wing was redesginated the 1701st Air Transport Wing on 1 June 1948 when Air Transport Command was redesignated the Military Air Transport Service.
• Following World War II, Great Falls Army Air Base played an important role in US defense during the Cold War era.
• Great Falls played a major aerial defense role in North American air defense mission.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• At Great Falls, P-39 Airacobras, C-47 Skytrains, B-25 Mitchells, and A-20 Havocs aircraft.
• Malmstrom AFB is one of three US Air Force Bases that maintains and operates the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.
• The 801st Radar Squadron was inactivated on 31 December 1969 due to budget reductions.
• 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.
• On 21 August 1954 the 407th SFW Vice Commander, Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom, died when his T-33 Shooting Star trainer crashed approximately one mile west of the Great Falls Municipal Airport.
• 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.

Facts about Batticaloa Airport (BTC):

• Because of Batticaloa Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Batticaloa 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.
• In addition to being known as "Batticaloa Airport", another name for BTC is "மட்டக்களப்பு விமான நிலையம்මඩකලපුව ගුවන්තොටුපළ".
• The furthest airport from Batticaloa Airport (BTC) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,689 miles (18,812 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• Batticaloa Airport (BTC) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Batticaloa Airport (BTC) is Ampara Airport (ADP), which is located 26 miles (41 kilometers) S of BTC.