Nonstop flight route between Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Marrakech, Morocco:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK), Marrakech, Morocco would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,608 miles (or 7,417 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 Marrakesh Menara 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 Marrakesh Menara 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):

• 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.
• 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 1971, the 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was inactivated and the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron replaced the unit.
• In October 1977, the PAR came under operational control of the USAF, which operated it thereafter as part of its early warning system.
• The DC-11 SAGE blockhouse was later the headquarters of the SAC 321st Strategic Missile Wing.
• In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".
• SAGE operations were extremely expansive and GFADS was inactivated on 1 December 1963, when it was merged with the Minot Air Defense Sector at Minot AFB to the west.
• Following the departure of the last B-1B aircraft in 1994, the base transferred to the new Air Mobility Command and the 319th Bomb Wing was redesignated as the 319th Air Refueling Wing.
• On 18 February 1957, the 478th Fighter Group was activated at Grand Forks.

Facts about Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK):

• Marrakesh Menara Airport handled 3,373,475 passengers last year.
• The paved runway is laid out in the direction 10/28 is 3,100 by 45 metres.
• Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Marrakesh Menara Airport", other names for RAK include "Aéroport Marrakech Ménara" and "مطار مراكش المنارة".
• The closest airport to Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) is Ouarzazate Airport (OZZ), which is located 81 miles (130 kilometers) SE of RAK.
• Menara is one of the six airports in Morocco where ONDA offers its special VIP service Salon Convives de Marque.
• The furthest airport from Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) is Kaitaia Airport (KAT), which is nearly antipodal to Marrakesh Menara Airport (meaning Marrakesh Menara Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Kaitaia Airport), and is located 12,186 miles (19,611 kilometers) away in Kaitaia, New Zealand.
• During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces Air Transport Command as a hub for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel.