Nonstop flight route between Reed City, Michigan, United States and Fairbanks / Fort Wainwright, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Nartron Field (RCT), Reed City, Michigan, United States and Ladd Army Airfield (FBK), Fairbanks / Fort Wainwright, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,733 miles (or 4,399 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 Nartron Field and Ladd Army Airfield, 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 Nartron Field and Ladd Army Airfield. 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 Nartron Field (RCT):

• Nartron Field is an airport located 2 miles north of Reed City, Michigan, US.
• The only runway, 17/35, is in poor condition and the surface is cracked and scattered with stones.
• The closest airport to Nartron Field (RCT) is Roben-Hood Airport (WBR), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) S of RCT.
• Nartron Field (RCT) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Nartron Field (RCT) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,137 miles (17,924 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• An abandoned terminal building, including a defunct control tower, sits on the southeast corner of the airport.

Facts about Ladd Army Airfield (FBK):

• The closest airport to Ladd Army Airfield (FBK) is Fairbanks International Airport (FAI), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) WSW of FBK.
• Ladd Army Airfield (FBK) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Ladd Army Airfield", another name for FBK is "(Ladd Air Force Base)".
• From the onset of the Korean War in 1950 and continuing through 1957, Ladd saw intense use.
• Alaska's transportation infrastructure at the time was so limited and the problem of military supply so acute, it also made sense to concentrate the bases along existing supply lines near Anchorage and Fairbanks.
• When the Air Force was made a separate branch in 1947 the name was changed to Ladd Air Force Base.
• Because of Ladd Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 454 feet, planes can take off or land at Ladd Army Airfield 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.
• The furthest airport from Ladd Army Airfield (FBK) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,286 miles (16,554 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.