Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Wharton, Texas, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Wharton Regional Airport (WHT), Wharton, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,495 miles (or 2,406 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 Wharton Regional 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):

• DC-20 was initially under the Great Falls Air Defense Sector, established on 1 March 1959.
• Malmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place in Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana, United States.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• By 1954, several aircraft control and warning squadrons had been formed at the base.
• With the phaseout of the B-36 from the inventory in the late 1950s, the need for fighter escorts of SAC bombers was eliminated.
• 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.
• Following World War II, Great Falls Army Air Base played an important role in US defense during the Cold War era.

Facts about Wharton Regional Airport (WHT):

• The furthest airport from Wharton Regional Airport (WHT) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,995 miles (17,694 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Because of Wharton Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 100 feet, planes can take off or land at Wharton Regional 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.
• The closest airport to Wharton Regional Airport (WHT) is Bay City Municipal Airport (BBC), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) SE of WHT.
• Wharton Regional Airport (WHT) currently has only 1 runway.
• It is also used by the South Texas Balloon Launch Team for free float balloon launches.
• In addition to being known as "Wharton Regional Airport", another name for WHT is "ARM".