Nonstop flight route between Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,043 miles (or 1,679 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 relatively short distance between Grand Forks Air Force Base and Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR):

• 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.
• 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.
• On 18 February 1957, the 478th Fighter Group was activated at Grand Forks.
• In October 1977, the PAR came under operational control of the USAF, which operated it thereafter as part of its early warning system.
• In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".
• On 3 November 1967, the Department of Defense revealed that GFAFB was one of 10 initial locations to host a Sentinel Anti-Ballistic Missile site.
• The 319th transitioned from B-52H to re-engined B-52G aircraft in 1983, and added the AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missile in 1984.
• The DC-11 SAGE blockhouse was later the headquarters of the SAC 321st Strategic Missile Wing.
• 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.
• The 4133d SW was redesignated as the 319th Bombardment Wing on 1 February 1963 in a name-only redesigation and was assigned to SAC's Second Air Force, 810th Strategic Aerospace Division.

Facts about Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW):

• Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW) has 3 runways.
• In 2003, the Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport Authority unveiled its new passenger terminal building.
• During the 1950s, while the airport was still named Uplands and a joint-use civilian/military field, it was the busiest airport in Canada by takeoffs and landings, reaching a peak of 307,079 aircraft movements in 1959, nearly double its current traffic.
• The furthest airport from Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,465 miles (18,451 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport's relatively low elevation of 374 feet, planes can take off or land at Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier 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.
• The closest airport to Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW) is Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport (YRO), which is located only 10 miles (15 kilometers) N of YOW.
• The 2011 it won Best Airport in North America of the Airport Service Quality Awards by Airports Council International, as well as 2nd Best Airport by Size in the 2 to 5 million passenger category.
• The airport's board of directors approved a further expansion of the airport's passenger terminal on April 4, 2006.
• On June 13, 1997, a North American Airlines Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner struck the runway with gear retracted during a botched approach, resulting in propellor strikes and a fire in one engine when it came to rest on runway 25.
• In February 2010, Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport was recognized by customers for its excellent customer service in the results of Airports Council International's Airport Service Quality program.