Nonstop flight route between Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Maiquetía (near Caracas), Venezuela:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport (CCS), Maiquetía (near Caracas), Venezuela would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,125 miles (or 5,029 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 Grand Forks Air Force Base and Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport, 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 Grand Forks Air Force Base and Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport. 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 Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR):

• During the Cold War, GFAFB was a major installation of the Strategic Air Command, with B-52 bombers, KC-135 tankers, and Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles.
• 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.
• On 1 February 1993, ACC dropped the 319th Bomb Wing's primary nuclear mission and gave the wing the primary mission of B-1B conventional bombardment operations.
• On 1 September 1958, the Strategic Air Command established the 4133d Strategic Wing at Grand Forks as part of its plan to disperse its B-52 heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.
• In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".
• 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.
• In addition to the interceptor squadrons, a Semi Automatic Ground Environment Data Center was established at Grand Forks in 1958.
• In 1973, the 319th Bomb Wing acquired the AGM-69 Short Range Attack Missile, replacing the older AGM-28 Hound Dog air-to-ground missile aboard its B-52H aircraft.
• Survey teams selected sites in flat wheatlands close to the Canada-Minnesota border, north-northwest of Grand Forks.
• 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.

Facts about Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport (CCS):

• The airport opened in 1945 as the Aeropuerto Internacional de Maiquetía.
• Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport (CCS) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport (CCS) is El Libertador (MYC), which is located 49 miles (78 kilometers) SW of CCS.
• The furthest airport from Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport (CCS) is Blimbingsari Airport (BWX), which is nearly antipodal to Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport (meaning Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Blimbingsari Airport), and is located 12,254 miles (19,721 kilometers) away in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, Java Island, Indonesia.
• From 1960 to 1997, it was the main hub for Viasa, Venezuela's former flag carrier till it went bankrupt.
• Because of Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport's relatively low elevation of 235 feet, planes can take off or land at Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International 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 "Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar" International Airport", another name for CCS is "Aeropuerto Internacional de Maiquetía "Simón Bolívar"".
• 1D = Domestic Terminal, I = International Terminal.