Nonstop flight route between San Bernardino, California, United States and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SBD to MRI:
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- About this route
- SBD Airport Information
- MRI Airport Information
- Facts about SBD
- Facts about MRI
- Map of Nearest Airports to SBD
- List of Nearest Airports to SBD
- Map of Furthest Airports from SBD
- List of Furthest Airports from SBD
- Map of Nearest Airports to MRI
- List of Nearest Airports to MRI
- Map of Furthest Airports from MRI
- List of Furthest Airports from MRI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Norton Air Force Base (SBD), San Bernardino, California, United States and Merrill Field (MRI), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,362 miles (or 3,801 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 Norton Air Force Base and Merrill Field, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SBD / |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | San Bernardino, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°5'43"N by 117°14'5"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from SBD |
| More Information: | SBD Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MRI / PAMR |
| Airport Name: | Merrill Field |
| Location: | Anchorage, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 61°12'48"N by 149°50'39"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Municipality of Anchorage |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 137 feet (42 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MRI |
| More Information: | MRI Maps & Info |
Facts about Norton Air Force Base (SBD):
- In 1950, Air Defense Command activated the 27th Air Division at Norton AFB, being assigned to the Western Air Defense Force.
- The closest airport to Norton Air Force Base (SBD) is San Bernardino International Airport (SBT), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) S of SBD.
- In the 1960s, Norton expanded its depot support mission by supporting Titan and Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles s, with depot-level logistical support.
- The aviation facilities of the base were converted into San Bernardino International Airport, and 3 of the 4 stationed squadrons – C-141 Starlifter, C-21, and C-12 Huron aircraft – were moved to nearby March Air Force Base, while the remaining squadron – C-141 aircraft – was moved to McChord Air Force Base, Washington.
- The SAGE Direction Center closed in 1966 along with the other ADC facilities at Norton.
- Norton AFB was closed as a result of Base Realignment and Closure action 1988 in 1994.
- In addition to being known as "Norton Air Force Base", another name for SBD is "Norton AFB".
- The furthest airport from Norton Air Force Base (SBD) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,447 miles (18,423 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
Facts about Merrill Field (MRI):
- 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.
- A section of the airport is built over the closed Merrill Field Land Fill.
- 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.
- Merrill Field (MRI) has 3 runways.
- 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.
- The closest airport to Merrill Field (MRI) is Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) NNE of MRI.
