Nonstop flight route between Monrovia, Liberia and Tacoma, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MLW to GRF:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- MLW Airport Information
- GRF Airport Information
- Facts about MLW
- Facts about GRF
- Map of Nearest Airports to MLW
- List of Nearest Airports to MLW
- Map of Furthest Airports from MLW
- List of Furthest Airports from MLW
- 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 Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW), Monrovia, Liberia and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,900 miles (or 11,105 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 Spriggs Payne 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 Spriggs Payne 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:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MLW / GLMR |
Airport Name: | Spriggs Payne Airport |
Location: | Monrovia, Liberia |
GPS Coordinates: | 6°17'21"N by 10°45'30"W |
Area Served: | Monrovia, Liberia |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 25 feet (8 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from MLW |
More Information: | MLW Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | GRF / KGRF |
Airport Names: |
|
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 Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW):
- Spriggs-Payne was the primary location for domestic services within Liberia since the 1950s.
- The furthest airport from Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW) is Nauru International Airport (INU), which is nearly antipodal to Spriggs Payne Airport (meaning Spriggs Payne Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Nauru International Airport), and is located 12,009 miles (19,327 kilometers) away in Yaren, Nauru.
- Spriggs-Payne underwent a runway refurbishment during 2011 and 2012, necessitating the cessation of most flight operations.
- The closest airport to Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW) is Roberts International Airport Roberts Field (ROB), which is located 27 miles (44 kilometers) E of MLW.
- Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Spriggs Payne Airport's relatively low elevation of 25 feet, planes can take off or land at Spriggs Payne 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.
Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):
- The Washington National Guard 66th Aviation Brigade trains at Grey AAF and provides transportation support for fighting wildfires.
- The 1938 construction included two paved runways, a boiler plant, headquarters building, metal balloon hangar, six-plane hangar, corrugated-iron hangar, storehouse, flight-surgeon office, and film-storage building.
- Another innovative aircraft came to GAAF in the fall of 2000.
- 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.
- With World War II, Gray Army Airfield received 1.7 million dollars for new hangars and improved facilities.
- 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 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)".
- 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.