Nonstop flight route between Tacoma, Washington, United States and Coltishall, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States and Coltishall (IATA off-point) (CLF), Coltishall, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,792 miles (or 7,713 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 Gray Army Airfield and Coltishall (IATA off-point), 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 Gray Army Airfield and Coltishall (IATA off-point). 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 Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• The closest airport to Gray Army Airfield (GRF) is McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) NE of GRF.
• It should not confused with Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood in Texas.
• Because of Gray Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 300 feet, planes can take off or land at Gray Army Airfield 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.
• After the Korean War, the 2d Aviation Company, of the 2d Infantry Division, which had been the first helicopter unit in Korea, returned to Fort Lewis with observation/spotter aircraft L-19 Bird Dogs, and L-20 Beavers, as well as H-23 Raven helicopters.
• The 1938 construction included two paved runways, a boiler plant, headquarters building, metal balloon hangar, six-plane hangar, corrugated-iron hangar, storehouse, flight-surgeon office, and film-storage building.
• In October 1921 Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” biplanes flew from the Naval Station at Sand Point to a grass airfield at what was then called "Camp Lewis", located at a site just west of today’s Gray AAF.
• The furthest airport from Gray Army Airfield (GRF) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,809 miles (17,395 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• During the Vietnam War, GAAF not only trained helicopter units, but fixed-wing aircraft units as well.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• The 9th Cavalry Brigade in the 1980s developed air-assault strategies with their AH-1 Cobra helicopters based upon experiences learned in Vietnam.

Facts about Coltishall (IATA off-point) (CLF):

• Horstead watermill on the Coltishall-Horstead river border was one of the most photographed mills in the county until it burned down in 1963.
• The furthest airport from Coltishall (IATA off-point) (CLF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,813 miles (19,010 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Coltishall (IATA off-point) (CLF) is Norwich International Airport (NWI), which is located only 5 miles (8 kilometers) SW of CLF.
• The nearby RAF Coltishall played an important role during World War II, and afterwards, but was finally closed in December 2006.
• Coltishall was a place of note even when the Domesday Book was compiled.
• Because of Coltishall (IATA off-point)'s relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Coltishall (IATA off-point) 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.
• Between 1779 and 1912, it was possible to navigate the River Bure all the way to Aylsham, but now the limit of navigation for powered craft is just south of Coltishall.