Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Kobuk, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Kobuk Airport (OBU), Kobuk, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,095 miles (or 3,371 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 relatively short distance between Malmstrom Air Force Base and Kobuk Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):

• Great Falls played a major aerial defense role in North American air defense mission.
• This included one of the greatest technology transfers in the history of the world.
• In 1957, under the control of the 801st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, the Malmstrom AFB radar station became operational with AN/FPS-20 search and AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars.
• 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 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.
• Malmstrom Air Force Base traces its beginnings back to 1939 when World War II broke out in Europe.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• After World War II ended Great Falls AAB assumed a support mission for military personnel assigned to Alaskan military installations.
• 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.
• 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.
• Following World War II, Great Falls Army Air Base played an important role in US defense during the Cold War era.

Facts about Kobuk Airport (OBU):

• In addition to being known as "Kobuk Airport", another name for OBU is "PAOB".
• Because of Kobuk Airport's relatively low elevation of 142 feet, planes can take off or land at Kobuk 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.
• Kobuk Airport is a state owned, public use airport located in Kobuk, a city in the Northwest Arctic Borough of the U.S.
• The furthest airport from Kobuk Airport (OBU) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,163 miles (16,356 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
• For the 12-month period ending September 29, 2011, the airport had 5,000 aircraft operations, an average of 13 per day, 100% air taxi.
• The closest airport to Kobuk Airport (OBU) is Dahl Creek Airport (DCK), which is located only 2 miles (3 kilometers) N of OBU.
• Kobuk Airport (OBU) currently has only 1 runway.