Nonstop flight route between Skien, Telemark, Norway and Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Skien Airport, Geiteryggen (SKE), Skien, Telemark, Norway and Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,971 miles (or 6,390 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 Skien Airport, Geiteryggen and Grand Forks 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 Skien Airport, Geiteryggen and Grand Forks 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 Skien Airport, Geiteryggen (SKE):

• Because of Skien Airport, Geiteryggen's relatively low elevation of 463 feet, planes can take off or land at Skien Airport, Geiteryggen 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.
• Operation of the airport was transferred to Fjellfly, but remained owned by the municipality.
• In addition to being known as "Skien Airport, Geiteryggen", another name for SKE is "Skien lufthavn, Geiteryggen".
• The airport has a catchment area covering Grenland and surrounding parts of southern Telemark and eastern parts of Aust-Agder, with a total population of 140,000.
• The municipal council voted on 19 June 2008 to not give further subsidies to the airport.
• At the same time, the municipal council was considering the future of the airport.
• Norving's concession was granted in January 1976 and was the first time a formal taxi route concession was granted in Norway.
• The furthest airport from Skien Airport, Geiteryggen (SKE) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,344 miles (18,257 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Skien Airport, Geiteryggen handled 46,995 passengers last year.
• The closest airport to Skien Airport, Geiteryggen (SKE) is Sandefjord Airport, Torp (TRF), which is located 24 miles (39 kilometers) E of SKE.
• Teddy Air was established in 1989 and began services from Skien to Fornebu the following year, initially using a Britten-Norman Islander.
• Following an initiative from the municipality, the Kirkenes-based airline Norving announced in January 1975 their intention to operate between Geiteryggen and Oslo and establish a base at Geiteryggen.

Facts about Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR):

• In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".
• 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.
• 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.
• Grand Forks Air Force Base was established on 1 December 1955, with construction beginning in the fall of that year.
• 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.
• The DC-11 SAGE blockhouse was later the headquarters of the SAC 321st Strategic Missile Wing.
• Due to the continuance of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, GFAFB was originally an Air Defense Command fighter-interceptor air base.