Nonstop flight route between Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Pohnpei International Airport (PNI), Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,515 miles (or 10,485 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 Pohnpei 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 Pohnpei 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):

• On 18 February 1957, the 478th Fighter Group was activated at Grand Forks.
• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".
• During 1965, the wing’s three missile squadrons were activated and crew training and certification began at Vandenberg AFB in southern California.
• 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.

Facts about Pohnpei International Airport (PNI):

• Because of Pohnpei International Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Pohnpei 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.
• Pohnpei International Airport (PNI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Pohnpei International Airport (PNI) is RAF Ascension (ASI), which is located 11,926 miles (19,192 kilometers) away in Georgetown, Ascension Island, Saint Helena.
• The closest airport to Pohnpei International Airport (PNI) is Kosrae International Airport (KSA), which is located 345 miles (555 kilometers) ESE of PNI.
• The extension of the Pohnpei International Airport began in 2009, and it is anticipated that it will be completed in 2011.
• In addition to passenger services, Asia Pacific Airlines transports cargo to and from Pohnpei.