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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR), Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States and Napakiak Airport (WNA), Napakiak, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,131 miles (or 5,039 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 Napakiak 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 Napakiak 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):

• During World War II, the Soo Locks were considered vital to the war efforts.
• 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 importance of Kincheloe AFB to ADC was evident in 1960 with some major changes.
• 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 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.
• In October, 1952, the 4685th Air Base Squadron was assigned to the reactivated Kinross AFB.
• 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.

Facts about Napakiak Airport (WNA):

• Napakiak Airport (WNA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Napakiak Airport (WNA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,590 miles (17,044 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• Napakiak Airport has one runway designated 16/34 with a gravel surface measuring 3,248 by 60 feet.
• Because of Napakiak Airport's relatively low elevation of 17 feet, planes can take off or land at Napakiak 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 Napakiak Airport (WNA) is Napaskiak Airport (PKA), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) E of WNA.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, Napakiak Airport had 1,840 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, an increase of 0.7% from the 1,828 enplanements in 2007.