Nonstop flight route between Kansas City, Missouri, United States and Tacoma, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from MKC to GRF:
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- About this route
- MKC Airport Information
- GRF Airport Information
- Facts about MKC
- Facts about GRF
- Map of Nearest Airports to MKC
- List of Nearest Airports to MKC
- Map of Furthest Airports from MKC
- List of Furthest Airports from MKC
- 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 Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC), Kansas City, Missouri, United States and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,505 miles (or 2,422 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 Charles B. Wheeler Downtown 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: | MKC / KMKC |
| Airport Name: | Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport |
| Location: | Kansas City, Missouri, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 39°7'23"N by 94°35'34"W |
| Area Served: | Kansas City, Missouri |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 756 feet (230 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MKC |
| More Information: | MKC 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 Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC):
- The downtown airport has been renamed for Charles Wheeler who was mayor when Kansas City International opened.
- Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,758 miles (17,313 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The airport is on the north side of the confluence of the Kansas River and Missouri River.
- Because of Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport's relatively low elevation of 756 feet, planes can take off or land at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown 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 closest airport to Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) is Kansas City International Airport (MCI), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) NNW of MKC.
Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):
- 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.
- The Army Air Force closed its facilities in 1947.
- 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.
- 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 addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
- The 91st Observation Squadron and aircraft of the 3rd Balloon Squadron operated out of the Fort Lewis airfield.
- World War II cantonment construction involved the demolition of some of the pre-1941 buildings.
- Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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 Washington National Guard 66th Aviation Brigade trains at Grey AAF and provides transportation support for fighting wildfires.
- August 1984 saw GAAF become one of few test centers for the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.
- Gray Army Airfield, also known as Gray AAF, is a military airfield located within Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, in Pierce County, Washington, United States.
