Nonstop flight route between Riohacha, Colombia and Great Falls, Montana, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH), Riohacha, Colombia and Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,328 miles (or 5,355 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 Almirante Padilla 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 Almirante Padilla 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 Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH):

• Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH) is La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport (MCJ), which is located 36 miles (58 kilometers) SE of RCH.
• Because of Almirante Padilla Airport's relatively low elevation of 43 feet, planes can take off or land at Almirante Padilla 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.
• In addition to being known as "Almirante Padilla Airport", another name for RCH is "Aeropuerto Almirante Padilla".
• The furthest airport from Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH) is Christmas Island Airport (XCH), which is nearly antipodal to Almirante Padilla Airport (meaning Almirante Padilla Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christmas Island Airport), and is located 12,317 miles (19,822 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Australia.

Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):

• Following World War II, Great Falls Army Air Base played an important role in US defense during the Cold War era.
• Construction of the wing's first launch facility began in March 1961 and was completed in December.
• 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.
• 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.
• Z-147 was completely replaced by a new ARSR-4 JSS site on Bootlegger Ridge, about 14 miles northeast of Great Falls AFB.
• The 801st Radar Squadron was inactivated on 31 December 1969 due to budget reductions.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• At Great Falls, P-39 Airacobras, C-47 Skytrains, B-25 Mitchells, and A-20 Havocs aircraft.