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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR), Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States and Tatitlek Airport (TEK), Tatitlek, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,626 miles (or 4,226 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 Tatitlek 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 Tatitlek 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):

• The importance of Kincheloe AFB to ADC was evident in 1960 with some major changes.
• In May 1958 the 438th FIS was temporarily transferred to K.
• Next, Kincheloe AFB was assigned to the Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector at K.
• 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.
• 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.
• In 1962, in order to retain the lineage of its MAJCOM 4-digit combat units and to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its MAJCOM strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate AFCON units, most of which were inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history.
• 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.
• In October, 1952, the 4685th Air Base Squadron was assigned to the reactivated Kinross AFB.

Facts about Tatitlek Airport (TEK):

• Tatitlek Airport (TEK) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Tatitlek Airport (TEK) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,547 miles (16,974 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• In addition to being known as "Tatitlek Airport", other names for TEK include "PAKA" and "7KA".
• Because of Tatitlek Airport's relatively low elevation of 62 feet, planes can take off or land at Tatitlek 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 closest airport to Tatitlek Airport (TEK) is Valdez Airport (VDZ), which is located 23 miles (38 kilometers) NE of TEK.