Nonstop flight route between Misawa, Aomori, Japan and Kokhanok, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō (MSJ), Misawa, Aomori, Japan and Kokhanok Airport (KNK), Kokhanok, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,970 miles (or 4,779 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 Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō and Kokhanok Airport, 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 Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō and Kokhanok Airport. 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 Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō (MSJ):

• After the Soviet Union shot down an RB-29 aircraft on November 7, 1954, the 39th provided fighter escort for all friendly reconnaissance aircraft flying near Soviet territory and the Northern Air Defense Sector.
• The furthest airport from Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō (MSJ) is Rio Grande Regional Airport (RIG), which is located 11,479 miles (18,473 kilometers) away in Rio Grande, Brazil.
• The American occupation of Misawa began in September 1945.
• The Misawa Passive Radio Frequency space surveillance site was used for tracking satellites using the signals they transmit.
• With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, the 49th Fighter-Bomber Group was split off from the wing and was one of the first USAF units dispatched to Korea from Japan, its tactical squadrons began operations with F-51D Mustangs as the F-51D performed the ground support role better than the Shooting Stars.
• In addition to being known as "Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō", another name for MSJ is "Misawa AB".
• The closest airport to Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō (MSJ) is JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base (HHE), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) SSE of MSJ.
• The Imperial Army transformed Misawa into an air base in 1938 when it was used as a base for long-range bombers.
• The first operational fighter wing was the 49th Fighter-Bomber Group, being reassigned to Misawa on March 31, 1948.

Facts about Kokhanok Airport (KNK):

• In addition to being known as "Kokhanok Airport", another name for KNK is "9K2".
• The closest airport to Kokhanok Airport (KNK) is Big Mountain Air Force Station (BMX), which is located only 17 miles (27 kilometers) WSW of KNK.
• The furthest airport from Kokhanok Airport (KNK) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,678 miles (17,185 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Kokhanok Airport (KNK) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Kokhanok Airport's relatively low elevation of 115 feet, planes can take off or land at Kokhanok 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.