Nonstop flight route between Sacramento, California, United States and Great Falls, Montana, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR), Sacramento, California, United States and Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 801 miles (or 1,288 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 Sacramento Mather Airport and Malmstrom Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR):

• The closest airport to Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR) is Sacramento Airport McClellan Airfield (MCC), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) NW of MHR.
• On February 17, 2000 an Emery Worldwide DC-8 cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from this airport.
• Because of Sacramento Mather Airport's relatively low elevation of 96 feet, planes can take off or land at Sacramento Mather 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.
• The furthest airport from Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,278 miles (18,150 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR) has 2 runways.

Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):

• In November 1942, a survey team evaluated an area near the Green Mill Dance Club and Rainbow Dam Road approximately six miles east of Great Falls.
• The closest airport to Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Great Falls International Airport (GTF), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) W of GFA.
• Tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union increased dramatically when the Soviet Union closed all land travel between the western occupation sectors of Germany and the American, French and British sectors of Berlin.
• By 1954, several aircraft control and warning squadrons had been formed at the base.
• Following World War II, Great Falls Army Air Base played an important role in US defense during the Cold War era.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• On 18 December 1953, Great Falls AFB was transferred from Military Air Transport Service to Strategic Air Command, although MATS units remained at the base for several years.
• The furthest airport from Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,495 miles (16,891 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• DC-20 was initially under the Great Falls Air Defense Sector, established on 1 March 1959.