Nonstop flight route between Pensacola, Florida, United States and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between NOLF Saufley Field (NUN), Pensacola, Florida, United States and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,489 miles (or 5,614 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 NOLF Saufley Field and Elmendorf 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 NOLF Saufley Field and Elmendorf 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 NOLF Saufley Field (NUN):

• In September 2004, the Department of Defense and the Federal Emergency Management Agency designated Saufley Field as a temporary Logistical Staging Area for Federal, State and non-governmental agencies in response to Hurricane Ivan, considered one of the worst storms ever to hit the United States until that point.
• The installation was originally commissioned in 1943 as Naval Auxiliary Air Station Saufley Field and was redesignated Naval Air Station Saufley Field in 1968.
• The furthest airport from NOLF Saufley Field (NUN) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,146 miles (17,937 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• In 1979, Saufley Field was redesignated as both OLF Saufley Field and Naval Education and Training Program Development Center Saufley Field following the latter activity's relocation from the nearby NETPDC Ellyson Field, Florida.
• Because of NOLF Saufley Field's relatively low elevation of 85 feet, planes can take off or land at NOLF Saufley Field 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.
• NOLF Saufley Field (NUN) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to NOLF Saufley Field (NUN) is Naval Air Station PensacolaForrest Sherman Field (NPA), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) SSE of NUN.

Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• The uncertain world situation in late 1940s and early 1950s caused a major buildup of air defense forces in Alaska.
• The Department of Defense proposed a major realignment of the base as part of the Base Realignment and Closure program announced on 13 May 2005.
• The furthest airport from Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,542 miles (16,965 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• The first Air Force unit to be assigned to Alaska, the 18th Pursuit Squadron, arrived in February 1941.
• On 16 November 2010, a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor took off for a training mission.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• The late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s brought about a gradual, but significant decline in air defense forces in Alaska due to mission changes and the demands of the Vietnam War.
• That importance was further recognized when the F-15E Strike Eagle equipped 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base from Clark Air Base in the Philippines in May 1991.