Nonstop flight route between Spokane, Washington, United States and Ghinnir, Ethiopia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA), Spokane, Washington, United States and Ghinnir Airport (GNN), Ghinnir, Ethiopia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,429 miles (or 13,565 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 Fairchild Air Force Base and Ghinnir 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 Fairchild Air Force Base and Ghinnir 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 Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA):

• The closest airport to Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Spokane International Airport (GEG), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) E of SKA.
• Since 1942, Fairchild Air Force Base/Station has been a key part of the United States' defense strategy—from World War II repair depot, to Strategic Air Command bomber wing during the Cold War, to Air Mobility Command air refueling wing during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
• The furthest airport from Fairchild Air Force Base (SKA) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,665 miles (17,163 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• On 13 March 1987, a KC-135A crashed into a field adjacent to the 92nd Bomb Wing headquarters and the taxiway during a practice flight for an In-Flight Refueling Demonstration planned for later that month.
• In addition to being known as "Fairchild Air Force Base", another name for SKA is "Fairchild AFB".
• With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, both groups deployed to Japan and Guam.
• In June 1992, with the inactivation of Strategic Air Command, the B-52 portion of the wing became part of the newly established Air Combat Command and was re-designated the 92d Bomb Wing.
• Over 5,100 active duty Air Force, Air National Guard, and tenant organization military and civilian employees work on Fairchild, making the base the largest employer in Eastern Washington.
• Throughout much of the 1990s, the wing was actively involved in missions against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

Facts about Ghinnir Airport (GNN):

• Because of Ghinnir Airport's high elevation of 6,499 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at GNN. Combined with a high temperature, this could make GNN a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The closest airport to Ghinnir Airport (GNN) is Robe Airport (GOB), which is located 46 miles (74 kilometers) W of GNN.
• The furthest airport from Ghinnir Airport (GNN) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is nearly antipodal to Ghinnir Airport (meaning Ghinnir Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Atuona Airport), and is located 12,255 miles (19,722 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.