Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and British Columbia, Canada:
Departure Airport:
(47°30'16"N by 111°11'13"W)
Arrival Airport:
(50°34'55"N by 126°54'56"W)
Distance from GFA to YAL:
741.76 miles (1,193.74 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- GFA Airport Information
- YAL Airport Information
- Facts about GFA
- Facts about YAL
- 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 YAL
- List of Nearest Airports to YAL
- Map of Furthest Airports from YAL
- List of Furthest Airports from YAL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Alert Bay Airport (YAL), British Columbia, Canada would travel a Great Circle distance of 742 miles (or 1,194 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 Alert Bay 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: |
|
| 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: | YAL / CYAL |
| Airport Name: | Alert Bay Airport |
| Location: | British Columbia, Canada |
| GPS Coordinates: | 50°34'55"N by 126°54'56"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Corporation of Village of Alert Bay |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 240 feet (73 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from YAL |
| More Information: | YAL Maps & Info |
Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):
- By 1954, several aircraft control and warning squadrons had been formed at the base.
- Following World War II, Great Falls Army Air Base played an important role in US defense during the Cold War era.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- Z-147 was completely replaced by a new ARSR-4 JSS site on Bootlegger Ridge, about 14 miles northeast of Great Falls 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.
- In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
Facts about Alert Bay Airport (YAL):
- The furthest airport from Alert Bay Airport (YAL) is East London Airport (ELS), which is located 10,675 miles (17,179 kilometers) away in East London, South Africa.
- Because of Alert Bay Airport's relatively low elevation of 240 feet, planes can take off or land at Alert Bay 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 Alert Bay Airport (YAL) is Port McNeill Airport (YMP), which is located only 5 miles (8 kilometers) W of YAL.
- Alert Bay Airport (YAL) currently has only 1 runway.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 8.69 miles (13.99 km) W | Great Falls International Airport (GTF) | Great Falls, Montana, United States |     |
| 2 | 72.47 miles (116.63 km) SSW | Helena Regional Airport (HLN) | Helena, Montana, United States | |
| 3 | 78.24 miles (125.91 km) NNW | Shelby Airport (SBX) | Shelby, Montana, United States | |
| 4 | 86.58 miles (139.33 km) ESE | Lewistown Municipal Airport (LWT) | Lewistown, Montana, United States | |
| 5 | 93.96 miles (151.21 km) NW | Cut Bank Municipal AirportCut Bank Army Air Field (CTB) | Cut Bank, Montana, United States | |
| 6 | 97.38 miles (156.72 km) NE | Havre City-County Airport (HVR) | Havre, Montana, United States | |
| 7 | 119.35 miles (192.08 km) S | Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) | Bozeman, Montana, United States | |
| 8 | 123.77 miles (199.19 km) SSW | Bert Mooney Airport (BTM) | Butte, Montana, United States | |
| 9 | 129.57 miles (208.53 km) SSE | Mission Field (LVM) | Livingston, Montana, United States | |
| 10 | 142.19 miles (228.84 km) WSW | Missoula International Airport (MSO) | Missoula, Montana, United States | |
| 11 | 143.48 miles (230.90 km) ESE | Roundup Airport (RPX) | Roundup, Montana, United States | |
| 12 | 152.64 miles (245.65 km) WNW | Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) | Kalispell, Montana, United States | |
| 13 | 164.32 miles (264.45 km) NNW | Lethbridge Airport (YQL) | Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada | |
| 14 | 168.49 miles (271.16 km) SSW | Dillon Airport (DLN) | Dillon, Montana, United States | |
| 15 | 171.66 miles (276.26 km) SE | Billings Logan International Airport (BIL) | Billings, Montana, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,495.34 miles (16,890.57 km) S | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 10,479.89 miles (16,865.71 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 3 | 10,478.36 miles (16,863.24 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 4 | 10,465.08 miles (16,841.87 km) SSE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 5 | 10,453.61 miles (16,823.41 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 6 | 10,383.05 miles (16,709.86 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 10,291.74 miles (16,562.90 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 10,268.76 miles (16,525.92 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 10,182.63 miles (16,387.32 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 10,177.46 miles (16,379.00 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 10,165.43 miles (16,359.64 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 10,128.20 miles (16,299.71 km) SE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 10,117.69 miles (16,282.80 km) SE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,110.27 miles (16,270.87 km) ESE | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 15 | 10,103.25 miles (16,259.57 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 4.98 miles (8.02 km) W | Port McNeill Airport (YMP) | Port McNeill, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 2 | 19.53 miles (31.43 km) WNW | Port Hardy Airport (YZT) | Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 3 | 46.96 miles (75.58 km) SSE | Tahsis Water Aerodrome (ZTS) | Tahsis, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 4 | 79.36 miles (127.72 km) E | Big Bay Water Aerodrome (YRR) | Stuart Island, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 5 | 82.17 miles (132.24 km) ESE | Campbell River Water Aerodrome (YHH) | Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 6 | 84.61 miles (136.16 km) ESE | Campbell River Airport (YBL) | Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 7 | 93.56 miles (150.58 km) ESE | Cortes Island Aerodrome (YCF) | Cortes Island, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 8 | 105.95 miles (170.52 km) SE | Courtenay Airpark (YCA) | Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 9 | 108.14 miles (174.03 km) ESE | CFB Comox (YQQ) | Comox, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 10 | 108.28 miles (174.26 km) SSE | Tofino Harbour Water Aerodrome (YTP) | Tofino, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 11 | 115.48 miles (185.85 km) SSE | Tofino/Long Beach Airport (YAZ) | Tofino, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 12 | 118.64 miles (190.94 km) ESE | Powell River Airport (YPW) | Powell River, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 13 | 119.45 miles (192.24 km) NNW | Bella Bella/Shearwater Water Aerodrome (YSX) | Bella Bella, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 14 | 122.63 miles (197.35 km) ESE | Texada/Gillies Bay Airport (YGB) | Texada Island, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 15 | 122.99 miles (197.93 km) NNW | Bella Bella (Campbell Island) Airport (ZEL) | Bella Bella, British Columbia, Canada | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,674.66 miles (17,179.15 km) SE | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 2 | 10,667.49 miles (17,167.61 km) ESE | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 3 | 10,641.92 miles (17,126.46 km) SSE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 4 | 10,641.89 miles (17,126.41 km) SE | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 5 | 10,641.82 miles (17,126.31 km) ESE | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 6 | 10,623.76 miles (17,097.25 km) SE | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 7 | 10,594.79 miles (17,050.61 km) SE | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 8 | 10,593.78 miles (17,048.99 km) SSE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 10,573.73 miles (17,016.73 km) SE | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 10 | 10,573.53 miles (17,016.41 km) SE | Richards Bay Airport (RCB) | Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 11 | 10,535.06 miles (16,954.49 km) SE | Hluhluwe Airport (HLW) | Hluhluwe, South Africa | |
| 12 | 10,529.91 miles (16,946.20 km) SE | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 13 | 10,516.65 miles (16,924.87 km) ESE | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| 14 | 10,512.05 miles (16,917.46 km) SE | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 10,509.05 miles (16,912.63 km) SE | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |