Nonstop flight route between Cocle, Panama and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH), Cocle, Panama and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,041 miles (or 8,113 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport and Elmendorf Air Force Base, 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport and Elmendorf Air Force Base. 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 Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH):

• Because of Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport's relatively low elevation of 105 feet, planes can take off or land at Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez 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 airport was officially opened by President Martinelli on 13 November 2013.
• The closest airport to Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) is Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport (PAC), which is located 57 miles (91 kilometers) NE of RIH.
• The furthest airport from Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (meaning Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,102 miles (19,476 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Río Hato / Scarlett Martinez Airport (RIH) currently has only 1 runway.
• Established in 1931, during World War II Río Hato Army Air Base was used by the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force as part of the defense of the Panama Canal.
• Unfortunately, the fog of war was in the air.

Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• The furthest airport from Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,542 miles (16,965 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• The 1980s witnessed a period of growth and modernization of Elmendorf AFB.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• That importance was further recognized when the F-15E Strike Eagle equipped 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base from Clark Air Base in the Philippines in May 1991.
• The first Air Force unit to be assigned to Alaska, the 18th Pursuit Squadron, arrived in February 1941.
• The installation hosts the headquarters for the United States Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, U.S.