Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Richmond, Queensland, Australia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Richmond Airport (RCM), Richmond, Queensland, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,985 miles (or 12,851 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 Richmond 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 Richmond 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):

• In 1959 a SAGE data center was established at Malmstrom.
• 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 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.
• By 1954, several aircraft control and warning squadrons had been formed at the base.
• 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".
• The base's runway was closed on 31 December 1996 for aircraft operations.
• 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.
• The North American Aerospace Defense Command was created in 1957.

Facts about Richmond Airport (RCM):

• Richmond Airport (RCM) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Richmond Airport (RCM) is Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO), which is located 11,629 miles (18,716 kilometers) away in Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde.
• The closest airport to Richmond Airport (RCM) is Hughenden Airport (HGD), which is located 72 miles (116 kilometers) E of RCM.
• Because of Richmond Airport's relatively low elevation of 676 feet, planes can take off or land at Richmond 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.