Nonstop flight route between Hola, Kenya and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hola Airport (HOA), Hola, Kenya and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,119 miles (or 14,676 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 Hola Airport and Gray Army Airfield, 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 Hola Airport and Gray Army Airfield. 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 Hola Airport (HOA):

• The furthest airport from Hola Airport (HOA) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is located 11,654 miles (18,755 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.
• Because of Hola Airport's relatively low elevation of 194 feet, planes can take off or land at Hola 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.
• Hola Airport is located in Tana River District, Coast Province, in the town of Hola, in southeastern Kenya, close to the Indian Ocean coast and to the International border with Somalia.
• The closest airport to Hola Airport (HOA) is Garissa Airport (GAS), which is located 77 miles (123 kilometers) NNW of HOA.

Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• During the Vietnam War, GAAF not only trained helicopter units, but fixed-wing aircraft units as well.
• The field is named in honor of Captain Lawrence C.
• 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.
• During the Korean War, GAAF continued in the role as a training and division support field.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".