Nonstop flight route between Meribel, France and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Méribel Airport (MFX), Meribel, France and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,342 miles (or 8,597 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 Méribel 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 Méribel 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 Méribel Airport (MFX):

• In addition to being known as "Méribel Airport", another name for MFX is "Aéroport de Méribel".
• The closest airport to Méribel Airport (MFX) is Courchevel Airport (CVF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) ESE of MFX.
• Because of Méribel Airport's high elevation of 5,633 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at MFX. Combined with a high temperature, this could make MFX a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The furthest airport from Méribel Airport (MFX) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Méribel Airport (meaning Méribel Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,251 miles (19,716 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Méribel Airport (MFX) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• During the Vietnam War, GAAF not only trained helicopter units, but fixed-wing aircraft units as well.
• Camp Lewis advocates pushed for it to be a major dirigible and fixed-wing field.
• It should not confused with Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood in Texas.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• World War II cantonment construction involved the demolition of some of the pre-1941 buildings.
• The Air Transport Command.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.