Nonstop flight route between Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States and Cherbourg, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States and Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER), Cherbourg, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,828 miles (or 6,161 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 Gerald R. Ford International Airport and Cherbourg - Maupertus 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 Gerald R. Ford International Airport and Cherbourg - Maupertus 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 Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR):

• An outdoor viewing area on Kraft Avenue north of 52nd Street has picnic tables, litter barrels, and a portable toilet.
• In 1997 the new 8,500-foot runway 17/35 was added to allow the airport to continue operations during the $32 million reconstruction of runway 8R/26L, completed in 2001.
• Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) has 3 runways.
• When new baggage screening regulations were introduced by the Transportation Security Administration in 2002, the airport was one of the first in the nation to conduct trials on the new screening machines.
• The closest airport to Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) is Park Township Airport (HLM), which is located 33 miles (53 kilometers) W of GRR.
• Because of Gerald R. Ford International Airport's relatively low elevation of 794 feet, planes can take off or land at Gerald R. Ford International 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 furthest airport from Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,165 miles (17,969 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER):

• The 363d Fighter Group, based P-38 Lightning fighters at Maupertus from 9 July through August 1944.
• No destinations served at present, as Twin Jet dropped services to Jersey and Paris Orly followed by Chalair and also Airlinair, which both failed to make links to Paris profitable.
• Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport or Aéroport de Cherbourg - Maupertus is an airport located 11 km east of Cherbourg-Octeville, between Maupertus-sur-Mer and Gonneville.
• The closest airport to Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER) is Alderney Airport (ACI), which is located 33 miles (54 kilometers) W of CER.
• It has one runway, Runway 10/28.
• In addition to being known as "Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport", other names for CER include "Aéroport de Cherbourg - Maupertus" and "(Advanced Landing Ground A-15)".
• After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was used as a resupply and casualty evacuation airfield for several months, before being closed on 22 December 1944.
• Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER) currently has only 1 runway.
• In the 1950s, a modern concrete jet runway for NATO aircraft was laid down by the United States using French contractors, along with a circular marguerite system of dispersal hardstands that could be revetted later with earth for added protection.
• The fighter planes flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead.
• The remains of the World War II main runway are still visible just to the south of the current airport runway.
• Because of Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport's relatively low elevation of 459 feet, planes can take off or land at Cherbourg - Maupertus 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 furthest airport from Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,973 miles (19,269 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.