Nonstop flight route between Peru, Indiana, United States and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Grissom Air Reserve Base (GUS), Peru, Indiana, United States and Merrill Field (MRI), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,962 miles (or 4,768 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 Grissom Air Reserve Base and Merrill Field, 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 Grissom Air Reserve Base and Merrill Field. 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 Grissom Air Reserve Base (GUS):

• The closest airport to Grissom Air Reserve Base (GUS) is Kokomo Municipal Airport (OKK), which is located only 10 miles (15 kilometers) SSE of GUS.
• Additionally, Grissom ARB is home to units from the U.S.
• Grissom Air Reserve Base still hosts the 434th Air Refueling Wing of Air Force Reserve Command.
• On 27 January 1967, the Apollo I spacecraft caught fire during a pre-launch preparation at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 34, killing United States Air Force astronaut Lieutenant Colonel Virgil I.
• Despite this activity, the end of the Cold War led to a downsizing of the military.
• The furthest airport from Grissom Air Reserve Base (GUS) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,184 miles (17,998 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition, Air Defense Command activated the 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at the new base, reporting to the 4706th Air Defense Wing at K.
• In addition to being known as "Grissom Air Reserve Base", another name for GUS is "Grissom ARS".
• In June 1972, the 305th Air Refueling Squadron deployed elements to Korat Air Base, Thailand, as the 4104th Air Refueling Squadron.

Facts about Merrill Field (MRI):

• Merrill Field (MRI) has 3 runways.
• The offices of the Alaska Dispatch, parent company of the Anchorage Daily News, are located on Merrill Field.
• The furthest airport from Merrill Field (MRI) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,545 miles (16,970 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• The closest airport to Merrill Field (MRI) is Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) NNE of MRI.
• Because of Merrill Field's relatively low elevation of 137 feet, planes can take off or land at Merrill Field 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.
• Merrill Field, located on the east end of 5th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska, was the only airport serving Anchorage until 1951 when the introduction of ever larger and faster commercial aircraft required that an airfield with longer and heavier runways be built.