Nonstop flight route between Ipiales, Colombia and Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between San Luis Airport (IPI), Ipiales, Colombia and Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,462 miles (or 5,571 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 San Luis Airport and Grand Forks Air Force Base, 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 San Luis Airport and Grand Forks Air Force Base. 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 San Luis Airport (IPI):

• Because of San Luis Airport's high elevation of 9,765 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at IPI. Combined with a high temperature, this could make IPI a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• San Luis Airport (IPI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to San Luis Airport (IPI) is Teniente Coronel Luis A Mantilla International Airport (TUA), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) SW of IPI.
• The furthest airport from San Luis Airport (IPI) is Depati Parbo Airport (KRC), which is nearly antipodal to San Luis Airport (meaning San Luis Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Depati Parbo Airport), and is located 12,333 miles (19,848 kilometers) away in Kerinci, Indonesia.
• In addition to being known as "San Luis Airport", another name for IPI is "Aeropuerto San Luis".

Facts about Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR):

• The closest airport to Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR) is Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), which is located only 10 miles (17 kilometers) E of RDR.
• During the Cold War, GFAFB was a major installation of the Strategic Air Command, with B-52 bombers, KC-135 tankers, and Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles.
• In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".
• On 1 November 1964, 321st Strategic Missile Wing was organized as the Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile wing at GFAFB, the first in SAC.
• The DC-11 SAGE blockhouse was later the headquarters of the SAC 321st Strategic Missile Wing.
• The furthest airport from Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,504 miles (16,904 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• On 18 February 1957, the 478th Fighter Group was activated at Grand Forks.
• In 1973, the 319th Bomb Wing acquired the AGM-69 Short Range Attack Missile, replacing the older AGM-28 Hound Dog air-to-ground missile aboard its B-52H aircraft.