Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Virac, Catanduanes, Philippines:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Virac Airport (VRC), Virac, Catanduanes, Philippines would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,015 miles (or 11,289 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 Virac 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 Virac 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):

• 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.
• Great Falls AAB was assigned to II Bomber Command, Second Air Force.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• Originally named Great Falls Army Air Base, later Great Falls Air Force Base, the facility was renamed Malmstrom Air Force Base on 1 October 1955 in honor of Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom.
• In 1959 a SAGE data center was established at Malmstrom.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Virac Airport (VRC):

• Virac Airport handled 30,002 passengers last year.
• The closest airport to Virac Airport (VRC) is Legazpi Airport (LGP), which is located 42 miles (68 kilometers) SW of VRC.
• The furthest airport from Virac Airport (VRC) is Marechal Rondon International Airport (CGB), which is nearly antipodal to Virac Airport (meaning Virac Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Marechal Rondon International Airport), and is located 12,292 miles (19,782 kilometers) away in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
• In addition to being known as "Virac Airport", another name for VRC is "Paliparan ng ViracPalayogan nin Virac".
• Virac Airport (VRC) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Virac Airport's relatively low elevation of 121 feet, planes can take off or land at Virac 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.