Nonstop flight route between Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Nalchik Airport (NAL), Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,121 miles (or 9,851 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 Nalchik 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 Nalchik 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Nalchik Airport (NAL):

• The furthest airport from Nalchik Airport (NAL) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,023 miles (17,739 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Nalchik Airport (NAL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Nalchik Airport (NAL) is Beslan Airport (OGZ), which is located 53 miles (85 kilometers) ESE of NAL.
• In addition to being known as "Nalchik Airport", another name for NAL is "Аэропорт Нальчик".

Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• Used to support Fort Lewis, Army helicopters assisted with medical evacuations at Mount Rainier National Park on numerous occasions in the 1970s.
• The 91st Observation Squadron and aircraft of the 3rd Balloon Squadron operated out of the Fort Lewis airfield.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• 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.
• 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.
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• The field is named in honor of Captain Lawrence C.
• It should not confused with Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood in Texas.
• August 1984 saw GAAF become one of few test centers for the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.
• In October 1921 Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” biplanes flew from the Naval Station at Sand Point to a grass airfield at what was then called "Camp Lewis", located at a site just west of today’s Gray AAF.
• 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.
• 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.
• During the Vietnam War, GAAF not only trained helicopter units, but fixed-wing aircraft units as well.