Nonstop flight route between Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Vicenza, Italy:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport (VIC), Vicenza, Italy would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,682 miles (or 7,536 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 Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” 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 Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” 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):

• 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.
• 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 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.
• In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".
• With the restructuring of the Air Force and the disestablishment of SAC in 1992, the wing transferred to Air Combat Command, then came under Air Force Space Command in 1993.
• The DC-11 SAGE blockhouse was later the headquarters of the SAC 321st Strategic Missile Wing.
• Opened 57 years ago in early 1957, the base's current host unit is the 319th Air Base Wing assigned to the Expeditionary Center of the Air Mobility Command.
• In addition to the interceptor squadrons, a Semi Automatic Ground Environment Data Center was established at Grand Forks in 1958.
• 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 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.
• 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.

Facts about Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport (VIC):

• In addition to being known as "Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport", another name for VIC is "Aeroporto di Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin”".
• Because of Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport's relatively low elevation of 128 feet, planes can take off or land at Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” 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.
• The closest airport to Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport (VIC) is Padua “Gino Allegri” Airport (QPA), which is located only 20 miles (32 kilometers) SE of VIC.
• The furthest airport from Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport (VIC) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport (meaning Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,026 miles (19,354 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Vicenza “Tommaso Dal Molin” Airport (VIC) currently has only 1 runway.