Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Pilanesberg, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY), Pilanesberg, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,709 miles (or 15,625 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 Pilanesberg 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 Pilanesberg 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):

• This included one of the greatest technology transfers in the history of the world.
• 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 801st Radar Squadron was inactivated on 31 December 1969 due to budget reductions.
• 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.
• 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.
• MATS reopened the C-54 Flight Training School as the 1272 Medium Transition Training Unit in May 1950, one month before the Korean War began.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• DC-20 was initially under the Great Falls Air Defense Sector, established on 1 March 1959.
• After World War II ended Great Falls AAB assumed a support mission for military personnel assigned to Alaskan military installations.

Facts about Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY):

• Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY) is Lanseria International Airport (HLA), which is located 63 miles (101 kilometers) SE of NTY.
• The furthest airport from Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is nearly antipodal to Pilanesberg International Airport (meaning Pilanesberg International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Hana Airport), and is located 12,064 miles (19,414 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.