Nonstop flight route between Punta Islita, Costa Rica and Great Falls, Montana, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Punta Islita Airport (PBP), Punta Islita, Costa Rica and Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,006 miles (or 4,838 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 Punta Islita Airport and Malmstrom 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 Punta Islita Airport and Malmstrom 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 Punta Islita Airport (PBP):

• The furthest airport from Punta Islita Airport (PBP) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Punta Islita Airport (meaning Punta Islita Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,217 miles (19,661 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Because of Punta Islita Airport's relatively low elevation of 7 feet, planes can take off or land at Punta Islita 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.
• Punta Islita Airport (PBP) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Punta Islita Airport (PBP) is Playa Sámara/Carrillo Airport (RIK), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) W of PBP.

Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):

• The closest airport to Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Great Falls International Airport (GTF), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) W of GFA.
• Following World War II, Great Falls Army Air Base played an important role in US defense during the Cold War era.
• MATS reopened the C-54 Flight Training School as the 1272 Medium Transition Training Unit in May 1950, one month before the Korean War began.
• Upon completion of the B-17 training program, in October 1943, Great Falls Army Air Base was transferred to the Air Transport Command and units from Gore Field were transferred to the base.
• Z-147 was completely replaced by a new ARSR-4 JSS site on Bootlegger Ridge, about 14 miles northeast of Great Falls AFB.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• The furthest airport from Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,495 miles (16,891 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Great Falls played a major aerial defense role in North American air defense mission.
• On 1 July 1968, the F-101B equipped 29th FIS was inactivated and replaced by the F-106 Delta Dart equipped 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was reassigned from Richards Gebaur AFB when its ADC mission was eliminated.
• Great Falls AAB was assigned to II Bomber Command, Second Air Force.