Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Xieng Khouang, Laos:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Xieng Khouang Airport (XKH), Xieng Khouang, Laos would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,344 miles (or 11,819 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 Xieng Khouang 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 Xieng Khouang 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):

• 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 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 1959 a SAGE data center was established at Malmstrom.
• 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.
• Following World War II, Great Falls Army Air Base played an important role in US defense during the Cold War era.
• 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.
• 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.
• Aircraft shipments to the Soviet Union stopped in September 1945, when World War II ended, with approximately 8,000 aircraft having been processed in a 21-month period.
• 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.
• After World War II ended Great Falls AAB assumed a support mission for military personnel assigned to Alaskan military installations.

Facts about Xieng Khouang Airport (XKH):

• The closest airport to Xieng Khouang Airport (XKH) is Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ), which is located 73 miles (117 kilometers) WNW of XKH.
• The furthest airport from Xieng Khouang Airport (XKH) is Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC), which is nearly antipodal to Xieng Khouang Airport (meaning Xieng Khouang Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maria Reiche Neuman Airport), and is located 12,097 miles (19,468 kilometers) away in Nazca, Ica Region, Peru.
• In addition to being known as "Xieng Khouang Airport", another name for XKH is "ສະຫນາມບິນຊຽງຂວາງ".