Nonstop flight route between Orcas Island, Washington, United States and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ), Orcas Island, Washington, United States and Merrill Field (MRI), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,362 miles (or 2,191 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 Rosario Seaplane Base and Merrill Field, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ):

• Because of Rosario Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Rosario Seaplane Base 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 Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ) is Westsound Seaplane Base (WSX), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of RSJ.
• The furthest airport from Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,715 miles (17,244 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Rosario Seaplane Base", another name for RSJ is "W49".

Facts about Merrill Field (MRI):

• The closest airport to Merrill Field (MRI) is Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) NNE of MRI.
• The furthest airport from Merrill Field (MRI) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,545 miles (16,970 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Merrill Field, located on the east end of 5th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska, was the only airport serving Anchorage until 1951 when the introduction of ever larger and faster commercial aircraft required that an airfield with longer and heavier runways be built.
• The offices of the Alaska Dispatch, parent company of the Anchorage Daily News, are located on Merrill Field.
• Merrill Field (MRI) has 3 runways.
• Merrill Field is home to the University of Alaska Anchorage's Aviation Technology Division, as well as two locally-owned flight schools, air taxi services, and fixed base operators.
• Because of Merrill Field's relatively low elevation of 137 feet, planes can take off or land at Merrill Field 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 airstrip is still in use today as the primary field for private wheel equipped aircraft in the warmer months and for ski equipped in the winter.