Nonstop flight route between Midland/Bay City/Saginaw, Michigan, United States and Tacoma, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from MBS to GRF:
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- About this route
- MBS Airport Information
- GRF Airport Information
- Facts about MBS
- Facts about GRF
- Map of Nearest Airports to MBS
- List of Nearest Airports to MBS
- Map of Furthest Airports from MBS
- List of Furthest Airports from MBS
- Map of Nearest Airports to GRF
- List of Nearest Airports to GRF
- Map of Furthest Airports from GRF
- List of Furthest Airports from GRF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between MBS International Airport (MBS), Midland/Bay City/Saginaw, Michigan, United States and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,868 miles (or 3,006 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 relatively short distance between MBS International Airport and Gray Army Airfield, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MBS / KMBS |
| Airport Name: | MBS International Airport |
| Location: | Midland/Bay City/Saginaw, Michigan, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 43°31'58"N by 84°4'46"W |
| Area Served: | Saginaw, Michigan Midland, Michigan Bay City, Michigan |
| Operator/Owner: | Bay County, Michigan, Midland, Michigan, Saginaw, Michigan |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 668 feet (204 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MBS |
| More Information: | MBS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GRF / KGRF |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Tacoma, Washington, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 47°4'45"N by 122°34'50"W |
| Operator/Owner: | U.S. Army ATCA-ASO |
| Airport Type: | Military |
| Elevation: | 300 feet (91 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GRF |
| More Information: | GRF Maps & Info |
Facts about MBS International Airport (MBS):
- In 2006 the Airport Commission announced it had approved plans for the construction of a new state-of-the-art passenger terminal.
- The 1980s and 1990s saw a lot of growth at MBS.
- Because of MBS International Airport's relatively low elevation of 668 feet, planes can take off or land at MBS International 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.
- Air Wisconsin runs ground services for United Express.
- MBS International Airport (MBS) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to MBS International Airport (MBS) is Mount Pleasant Municipal Airport (MOP), which is located 33 miles (54 kilometers) W of MBS.
- The furthest airport from MBS International Airport (MBS) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,213 miles (18,046 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):
- In October 1921 Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” biplanes flew from the Naval Station at Sand Point to a grass airfield at what was then called "Camp Lewis", located at a site just west of today’s Gray AAF.
- 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.
- It should not confused with Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood in Texas.
- 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.
- 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.
- Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
- During the Vietnam War, GAAF not only trained helicopter units, but fixed-wing aircraft units as well.
- With World War II, Gray Army Airfield received 1.7 million dollars for new hangars and improved facilities.
- The 9th Cavalry Brigade in the 1980s developed air-assault strategies with their AH-1 Cobra helicopters based upon experiences learned in Vietnam.
