Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Balkhash, Kazakhstan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Balqash Airport (BXH), Balkhash, Kazakhstan would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,904 miles (or 9,501 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 Balqash 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 Balqash 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):

• 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.
• The 801st Radar Squadron was inactivated on 31 December 1969 due to budget reductions.
• 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.
• Upon completion of the B-17 training program, in October 1943, Great Falls Army Air Base was transferred to the Air Transport Command and units from Gore Field were transferred to the base.
• The base's runway was closed on 31 December 1996 for aircraft operations.
• By 1954, several aircraft control and warning squadrons had been formed at the base.
• On 1 July 1968, the F-101B equipped 29th FIS was inactivated and replaced by the F-106 Delta Dart equipped 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was reassigned from Richards Gebaur AFB when its ADC mission was eliminated.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• In November 1942, a survey team evaluated an area near the Green Mill Dance Club and Rainbow Dam Road approximately six miles east of Great Falls.
• 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.

Facts about Balqash Airport (BXH):

• Balkhash Airport is classified as a national aerodrome in the latest AIP.
• Balqash Airport (BXH) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Balqash Airport", another name for BXH is "Аэропорт Балхаш".
• The furthest airport from Balqash Airport (BXH) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is located 11,053 miles (17,787 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
• The closest airport to Balqash Airport (BXH) is Sary-Arka Airport (KGF), which is located 207 miles (333 kilometers) NNW of BXH.
• Military aircraft are also based there.