Nonstop flight route between Ipiales, Colombia and Tacoma, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from IPI to TCM:
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- About this route
- IPI Airport Information
- TCM Airport Information
- Facts about IPI
- Facts about TCM
- Map of Nearest Airports to IPI
- List of Nearest Airports to IPI
- Map of Furthest Airports from IPI
- List of Furthest Airports from IPI
- Map of Nearest Airports to TCM
- List of Nearest Airports to TCM
- Map of Furthest Airports from TCM
- List of Furthest Airports from TCM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between San Luis Airport (IPI), Ipiales, Colombia and McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,175 miles (or 6,719 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 McChord Field/McChord AFB, 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 McChord Field/McChord AFB. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | IPI / SKIP |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Ipiales, Colombia |
GPS Coordinates: | 0°51'42"N by 77°40'18"W |
Area Served: | Ipiales, Colombia |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 9765 feet (2,976 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from IPI |
More Information: | IPI Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | TCM / KTCM |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Tacoma, Washington, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 47°8'16"N by 122°28'35"W |
Operator/Owner: | U.S. Air Force |
Airport Type: | Military: Air Force Base |
Elevation: | 322 feet (98 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from TCM |
More Information: | TCM Maps & Info |
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.
- In addition to being known as "San Luis Airport", another name for IPI is "Aeropuerto San Luis".
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM):
- On 6 October 1949, the 62nd received its first four-engine Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport.
- Following the end of the war in Europe, McChord redeployed thousands of troops arriving from the European theater to the Pacific as part of Air Transport Command.
- The ADC radar site was deactivated 1 April 1960 and repositioned to Fort Lawton AFS where the Air Force consolidated its anti-aircraft radars with the United States Army Seattle Defense Area Army Air-Defense Command Post S-90DC for Nike missile operations.
- In addition to being known as "McChord Field/McChord AFB", another name for TCM is "Part of Air Mobility Command (AMC)".
- The furthest airport from McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,803 miles (17,386 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- On 1 August 1946, McChord was assigned to the new Air Defense Command, with a mission of air defense of the United States.
- Because of McChord Field/McChord AFB's relatively low elevation of 322 feet, planes can take off or land at McChord Field/McChord AFB 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.
- On 28 February 1938 the airfield was officially transferred to the United States Government.
- McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Gray Army Airfield (GRF), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) SW of TCM.