Nonstop flight route between Tacoma, Washington, United States and Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States and Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport (RAO), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,605 miles (or 10,630 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 Dr. Leite Lopes State 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 Dr. Leite Lopes State 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 91st Observation Squadron and aircraft of the 3rd Balloon Squadron operated out of the Fort Lewis airfield.
• 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.
• 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.
• The Fort Lewis airfield housed observation planes.
• 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.
• Camp Lewis advocates pushed for it to be a major dirigible and fixed-wing field.
• 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 9th Cavalry Brigade in the 1980s developed air-assault strategies with their AH-1 Cobra helicopters based upon experiences learned in Vietnam.
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• Reactivated following service in Vietnam, the 9th Infantry Division aviation units occupied GAAF in 1972.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• 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.

Facts about Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport (RAO):

• In addition to being known as "Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport", another name for RAO is "Aeroporto Estadual Dr. Leite Lopes".
• It is operated by DAESP.
• The airport is located 18 km from downtown Ribeirão Preto.
• Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport (RAO) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport (RAO) is Minami-Daito Airport (MMD), which is nearly antipodal to Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport (meaning Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Minami-Daito Airport), and is located 12,106 miles (19,482 kilometers) away in Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan.
• Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport handled 1,077,010 passengers last year.
• The closest airport to Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport (RAO) is Ten. Lund Presetto State Airport (FRC), which is located 46 miles (73 kilometers) NE of RAO.