Nonstop flight route between Tacoma, Washington, United States and Ankara, Turkey:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States and Esenboğa International Airport (ESB), Ankara, Turkey would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,227 miles (or 10,021 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 Esenboğa International 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 Gray Army Airfield and Esenboğa International 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 Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• 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.
• During the Vietnam War, GAAF not only trained helicopter units, but fixed-wing aircraft units as well.
• 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.
• Used to support Fort Lewis, Army helicopters assisted with medical evacuations at Mount Rainier National Park on numerous occasions in the 1970s.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• Another innovative aircraft came to GAAF in the fall of 2000.
• The Air Transport Command.
• 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 Army Air Force closed its facilities in 1947.
• 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.
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• With World War II, Gray Army Airfield received 1.7 million dollars for new hangars and improved facilities.

Facts about Esenboğa International Airport (ESB):

• The furthest airport from Esenboğa International Airport (ESB) is Rurutu Airport (RUR), which is located 11,188 miles (18,005 kilometers) away in Rurutu, French Polynesia.
• In 2009, ESB served 6,085,126 passengers, 4,987,983 of which were domestic passengers.
• Esenboğa International Airport handled 10,900,000 passengers last year.
• Esenboğa International Airport (ESB) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Esenboğa International Airport (ESB) is Kastamonu Airport (KFS), which is located 92 miles (148 kilometers) NNE of ESB.
• In addition to being known as "Esenboğa International Airport", another name for ESB is "Esenboğa Uluslararası Havalimanı".
• The New Domestic and International Terminals will feature 168,000 m2 area, 10,000,000 passenger/year capacity, 18 ea.