Nonstop flight route between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States and Koliganek, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR), Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States and Koliganek Airport (KGK), Koliganek, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,996 miles (or 4,822 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 Kincheloe Air Force Base and Koliganek 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 Kincheloe Air Force Base and Koliganek 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 Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR):

• On 2 February 1959, Strategic Air Command established the 4239th Strategic Wing at Kincheloe AFB, Michigan as part of SAC's plan to disburse its B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.
• The mission of Kinross AAF was to serve as a refueling stop for aircraft headed for Alaska as well as to defend the locks of Sault Ste.
• On 1 Oct 1968, the 449th became the host unit assigned to Kincheloe AFB with the inactivations of the 507th Fighter Wing and the activations & Organizations of the 449th Combat Support Group, the 449th Civil Engineering Squadron, 449th Security Police Squadron, 449th Services Squadron, 449th Supply Squadron, and the 449th Transportation Squadron.
• The furthest airport from Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,103 miles (17,869 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR) is Chippewa County International Airport (CIU), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) N of INR.
• Next, Kincheloe AFB was assigned to the Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector at K.
• During World War II, the Soo Locks were considered vital to the war efforts.
• On 18 August 1955, the 534th ADS was inactivated and immediately replaced by the 507th Fighter Group in a name-only re-designation.

Facts about Koliganek Airport (KGK):

• The furthest airport from Koliganek Airport (KGK) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,660 miles (17,155 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, this airport had 481 commercial passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, a decrease of 21% from the 606 enplanements in 2007.
• Koliganek Airport (KGK) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Koliganek Airport (KGK) is New Stuyahok Airport (KNW), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) SSW of KGK.
• In addition to being known as "Koliganek Airport", other names for KGK include "Koliganek Airport (new location)" and "JZZ".
• Because of Koliganek Airport's relatively low elevation of 269 feet, planes can take off or land at Koliganek 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.