Nonstop flight route between Monbetsu, Hokkaidō, Japan and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport (MBE), Monbetsu, Hokkaidō, Japan and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,248 miles (or 6,837 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 Okhotsk Monbetsu 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 Okhotsk Monbetsu 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 Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport (MBE):

• In addition to being known as "Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport", other names for MBE include "オホーツク紋別空港" and "Ohōtsuku Monbetsu Kūkō".
• The furthest airport from Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport (MBE) is Port Stanley Airport (PSY), which is located 11,338 miles (18,247 kilometers) away in Stanley, Falkland Islands, United Kingdom.
• The closest airport to Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport (MBE) is Memanbetsu Airport (MMB), which is located 48 miles (77 kilometers) SE of MBE.
• In fiscal year 2008, Monbetsu Airport recorded an operating loss of 273 million yen on total revenues of only 26 million yen, making its operating losses the highest among the six airports operated by the Hokkaido government.
• Because of Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport's relatively low elevation of 58 feet, planes can take off or land at Okhotsk Monbetsu 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.
• Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport (MBE) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• The Army Air Force closed its facilities in 1947.
• The 91st Observation Squadron and aircraft of the 3rd Balloon Squadron operated out of the Fort Lewis airfield.
• 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.
• In 1926, the War Department observing aviation expansion overseas requested additional aviation funding.
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• Company A, 5th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, conducts high-altitude search-and-rescue operations.
• The Air Transport Command.
• The 9th Cavalry Brigade in the 1980s developed air-assault strategies with their AH-1 Cobra helicopters based upon experiences learned in Vietnam.