Nonstop flight route between Athens, Tennessee, United States and Fairbanks, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between McMinn County Airport (MMI), Athens, Tennessee, United States and Eielson Air Force Base (EIL), Fairbanks, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,234 miles (or 5,205 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 McMinn County Airport and Eielson Air Force Base, 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 McMinn County Airport and Eielson Air Force Base. 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 McMinn County Airport (MMI):

• McMinn County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Athens, a city in McMinn County, Tennessee, United States.
• The airport is attended from 0830 to Dusk and has 100LL aviation fuel and Jet A.
• The Fixed base operator at McMinn County airport is Athens Air, LLC
• Because of McMinn County Airport's relatively low elevation of 858 feet, planes can take off or land at McMinn County 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 McMinn County Airport (MMI) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,317 miles (18,212 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• McMinn County Airport (MMI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to McMinn County Airport (MMI) is Rockwood Municipal Airport (RKW), which is located 37 miles (59 kilometers) N of MMI.

Facts about Eielson Air Force Base (EIL):

• The 375th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, from the 308th Bombardment Group at Tinker AFB Oklahoma, arrived at Eielson on 5 March 1949.
• Taken off deployment status in 2007 as a result of BRAC 2005, today the primary mission of the base is to support Red Flag-Alaska, a series of Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercises for U.S.
• The 6th SW flew RC–135 strategic reconnaissance missions with an assigned squadron, and, with KC–135s deployed to Eielson from SAC, AFRES, and the ANG, conducted Alaska Tanker Task Force missions to support reconnaissance and numerous exercises for the Air Force and Navy.
• The closest airport to Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Ladd Army Airfield (FBK), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) NW of EIL.
• On 7 June 1943, the Western Defense Command ordered construction of a new airfield near present-day Fort Wainwright, then an Army airfield named after Major Arthur Ladd.
• Today the 1st Brigade 25th Infantry Division and the 4th Brigade 25th Infantry Division can be found training there.
• The furthest airport from Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,295 miles (16,568 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• In addition to being known as "Eielson Air Force Base", another name for EIL is "Eielson AFB".
• Eielson AFB was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field.
• For the next 34 years, the 5010th served as host-unit at Eielson.