Nonstop flight route between Semey, Kazakhstan and Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX), Semey, Kazakhstan and Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,643 miles (or 9,081 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 Semipalatinsk Airport and Grand Forks 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 Semipalatinsk Airport and Grand Forks 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 Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX):

• The closest airport to Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX) is Oskemen Airport (UKK), which is located 102 miles (165 kilometers) ESE of PLX.
• In addition to being known as "Semipalatinsk Airport", another name for PLX is "Semey Airport".
• Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX) is Teniente Julio Gallardo Airfield (PNT), which is located 11,256 miles (18,115 kilometers) away in Puerto Natales, Chile.
• Because of Semipalatinsk Airport's relatively low elevation of 761 feet, planes can take off or land at Semipalatinsk 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.

Facts about Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR):

• The furthest airport from Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,504 miles (16,904 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• On 26 May 1972, President Nixon and Soviet general secretary Leonid Brezhnev signed the ABM Treaty, which limited each nation to one site to protect strategic forces and one site to protect the "National Command Authority." With work about 85 percent complete at Grand Forks, the United States chose to finish construction at the North Dakota site.
• During 1965, the wing’s three missile squadrons were activated and crew training and certification began at Vandenberg AFB in southern California.
• The closest airport to Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR) is Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), which is located only 10 miles (17 kilometers) E of RDR.
• Due to the continuance of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, GFAFB was originally an Air Defense Command fighter-interceptor air base.
• In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".