Nonstop flight route between Matamata, New Zealand and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Matamata Airport (MTA), Matamata, New Zealand and Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR), Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,453 miles (or 13,604 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 Matamata Airport and Kincheloe 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 Matamata Airport and Kincheloe 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 Matamata Airport (MTA):

• The closest airport to Matamata Airport (MTA) is Hamilton International Airport (HLZ), which is located 24 miles (39 kilometers) WSW of MTA.
• The furthest airport from Matamata Airport (MTA) is Córdoba Airport (ODB), which is nearly antipodal to Matamata Airport (meaning Matamata Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Córdoba Airport), and is located 12,404 miles (19,962 kilometers) away in Córdoba, Spain.

Facts about Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR):

• The closest airport to Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR) is Chippewa County International Airport (CIU), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) N of INR.
• Flying out of Kinross in 1953, pilot Felix Moncla and his plane disappeared while pursuing a UFO over the Soo Locks and Lake Superior.
• On 2 February 1959, Strategic Air Command established the 4239th Strategic Wing at Kincheloe AFB, Michigan as part of SAC's plan to disburse its B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.
• In September 1959, Kinross AFB was officially renamed Kincheloe Air Force Base in honor of the late Captain Iven Kincheloe, a native of Cassopolis in southwestern Michigan.
• The furthest airport from Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,103 miles (17,869 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Portions of the base had already been transferred to local authorities, and following the deactivation all the remaining property was transferred, although the federal government reserved the right to have exclusive or non-exclusive use of the airport facilities during a declared national emergency.
• In October, 1952, the 4685th Air Base Squadron was assigned to the reactivated Kinross AFB.
• In the 1950s, the Air Force adopted a policy of dispersing Strategic Air Command bombers and tankers.