Nonstop flight route between Shell Mera, Ecuador and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Rio Amazonas Airport (PTZ), Shell Mera, Ecuador and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,712 miles (or 9,192 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 Rio Amazonas Airport 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 Rio Amazonas Airport 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 Rio Amazonas Airport (PTZ):

• In addition to being known as "Rio Amazonas Airport", other names for PTZ include "Areopuerto Rio Amazonas" and "SESM".
• Rio Amazonas Airport (PTZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Rio Amazonas Airport (PTZ) is Pinang Kampai Airport (DUM), which is nearly antipodal to Rio Amazonas Airport (meaning Rio Amazonas Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Pinang Kampai Airport), and is located 12,401 miles (19,958 kilometers) away in Dumai, Sumatra, Indonesia.
• The closest airport to Rio Amazonas Airport (PTZ) is Chachoan Airport (ATF), which is located 41 miles (66 kilometers) WNW of PTZ.

Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• The 1980s witnessed a period of growth and modernization of Elmendorf AFB.
• The first Air Force unit to be assigned to Alaska, the 18th Pursuit Squadron, arrived in February 1941.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• Air defense forces reached their zenith in 1957 with almost 200 fighter aircraft assigned to six fighter interceptor squadrons located at Elmendorf AFB and Ladd AFB.
• 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.
• Despite a diminished number of personnel and aircraft, a turning point in Elmendorf's history occurred in 1970 with the arrival of the 43d Tactical Fighter Squadron in June 1970 from MacDill AFB, Florida.
• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• 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.