Nonstop flight route between Kitale, Kenya and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kitale Airport (KTL), Kitale, Kenya and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,850 miles (or 14,242 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 Kitale Airport and Gray Army Airfield, 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 Kitale Airport and Gray Army Airfield. 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 Kitale Airport (KTL):

• Kitale Airport (KTL) currently has only 1 runway.
• Its location is approximately 336 kilometres, by air, northwest of Nairobi International Airport, the country’s largest civilian airport.
• The furthest airport from Kitale Airport (KTL) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is located 11,701 miles (18,832 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.
• The closest airport to Kitale Airport (KTL) is Eldoret International Airport (EDL), which is located 44 miles (71 kilometers) SSE of KTL.
• Kitale Airport is an airport in Kitale, Kenya.
• Kitale Airport is a small airport that serves the town of Kitale and surrounding communities.
• Because of Kitale Airport's high elevation of 6,070 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at KTL. Combined with a high temperature, this could make KTL a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.

Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• During the Korean War, GAAF continued in the role as a training and division support field.
• The closest airport to Gray Army Airfield (GRF) is McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) NE of GRF.
• Company A, 5th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, conducts high-altitude search-and-rescue operations.
• The furthest airport from Gray Army Airfield (GRF) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,809 miles (17,395 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• After the Korean War, the 2d Aviation Company, of the 2d Infantry Division, which had been the first helicopter unit in Korea, returned to Fort Lewis with observation/spotter aircraft L-19 Bird Dogs, and L-20 Beavers, as well as H-23 Raven helicopters.
• It should not confused with Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood in Texas.
• In 1926, the War Department observing aviation expansion overseas requested additional aviation funding.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• Because of Gray Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 300 feet, planes can take off or land at Gray Army Airfield 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.
• August 1984 saw GAAF become one of few test centers for the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.