Nonstop flight route between Tacoma, Washington, United States and Hassi Messaoud, Algeria:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States and Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem Airport (HME), Hassi Messaoud, Algeria would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,131 miles (or 9,868 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 Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem 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 Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem 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):

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• The Army Air Force closed its facilities in 1947.
• With World War II, Gray Army Airfield received 1.7 million dollars for new hangars and improved facilities.
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• The 9th Cavalry Brigade in the 1980s developed air-assault strategies with their AH-1 Cobra helicopters based upon experiences learned in Vietnam.
• During the Korean War, GAAF continued in the role as a training and division support field.
• The Air Transport Command.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem Airport (HME):

• Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem Airport (HME) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem Airport (HME) is Guemar Airport (ELU), which is located 133 miles (213 kilometers) NNE of HME.
• Because of Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem Airport's relatively low elevation of 459 feet, planes can take off or land at Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem 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.
• In addition to being known as "Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem Airport", other names for HME include "Base d'Hassi Messaoud (Hassi Messaoud)" and "Aéroport de Hassi Messaoud / Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem".
• The furthest airport from Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem Airport (HME) is Gisborne Airport (GIS), which is located 11,770 miles (18,941 kilometers) away in Gisborne, New Zealand.