Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Pinehurst / Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from GFA to SOP:
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- About this route
- GFA Airport Information
- SOP Airport Information
- Facts about GFA
- Facts about SOP
- Map of Nearest Airports to GFA
- List of Nearest Airports to GFA
- Map of Furthest Airports from GFA
- List of Furthest Airports from GFA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SOP
- List of Nearest Airports to SOP
- Map of Furthest Airports from SOP
- List of Furthest Airports from SOP
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Moore County Airport (SOP), Pinehurst / Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,836 miles (or 2,955 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 Moore County Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GFA / KGFA |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Great Falls, Montana, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 47°30'16"N by 111°11'13"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from GFA |
| More Information: | GFA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SOP / KSOP |
| Airport Name: | Moore County Airport |
| Location: | Pinehurst / Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 35°14'13"N by 79°23'27"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Moore County |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 461 feet (141 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SOP |
| More Information: | SOP Maps & Info |
Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):
- In 1959 a SAGE data center was established at Malmstrom.
- In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
- 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.
- This included one of the greatest technology transfers in the history of the world.
- DC-20 was initially under the Great Falls Air Defense Sector, established on 1 March 1959.
- The North American Aerospace Defense Command was created in 1957.
- Malmstrom AFB is one of three US Air Force Bases that maintains and operates the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.
- 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.
- Great Falls played a major aerial defense role in North American air defense mission.
Facts about Moore County Airport (SOP):
- The closest airport to Moore County Airport (SOP) is Mackall Army Airfield (HFF), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) SSW of SOP.
- Most of the Moore County Airport property lies within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Whispering Pines, NC, prompting debate over who had ultimate regulatory power over it — the village of Whispering Pines or the Moore County Airport Authority.
- Moore County Airport (SOP) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Moore County Airport (SOP) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,608 miles (18,682 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The rift was exacerbated by the Airport Authority's $2 million proposal which was approved by lawmakers, to build several large hangars using taxpayer funds.
- However, a recent court ruling said the village had no legal jurisdiction over the airport because it operates under an independent authority that was established in 1993.
- Because of Moore County Airport's relatively low elevation of 461 feet, planes can take off or land at Moore County 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.
