Nonstop flight route between Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States and Great Falls, Montana, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SPA to GFA:
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- About this route
- SPA Airport Information
- GFA Airport Information
- Facts about SPA
- Facts about GFA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SPA
- List of Nearest Airports to SPA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SPA
- List of Furthest Airports from SPA
- Map of Nearest Airports to GFA
- List of Nearest Airports to GFA
- Map of Furthest Airports from GFA
- List of Furthest Airports from GFA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA), Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States and Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,736 miles (or 2,793 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 Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport and Malmstrom Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SPA / KSPA |
| Airport Name: | Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport |
| Location: | Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°54'56"N by 81°57'23"W |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 801 feet (244 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SPA |
| More Information: | SPA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GFA / KGFA |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Great Falls, Montana, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 47°30'16"N by 111°11'13"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from GFA |
| More Information: | GFA Maps & Info |
Facts about Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA):
- The Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport contributes $15.4 million to the local economy.
- The closest airport to Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA) is Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) W of SPA.
- Because of Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport's relatively low elevation of 801 feet, planes can take off or land at Spartanburg Downtown Memorial 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.
- During World War II the airport was a training facility for the United States Army Air Corp and a refueling stop for naval aviators.
- Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA) currently has only 1 runway.
- An FAA operated air traffic control tower was operational at the airport but closed in 1981 during the PATCO controllers strike.
- The Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport is a general aviation airport located in the city of Spartanburg, South Carolina.
- The furthest airport from Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,463 miles (18,449 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):
- Great Falls played a major aerial defense role in North American air defense mission.
- On 23 December 1959, the Air Force Ballistic Missile Committee approved the selection of Malmstrom AFB to host the first Minuteman ICBM base.
- The closest airport to Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Great Falls International Airport (GTF), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) W of GFA.
- In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
- DC-20 was initially under the Great Falls Air Defense Sector, established on 1 March 1959.
- The furthest airport from Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,495 miles (16,891 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- At Great Falls, P-39 Airacobras, C-47 Skytrains, B-25 Mitchells, and A-20 Havocs aircraft.
- Z-147 was completely replaced by a new ARSR-4 JSS site on Bootlegger Ridge, about 14 miles northeast of Great Falls AFB.
- In 1957, under the control of the 801st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, the Malmstrom AFB radar station became operational with AN/FPS-20 search and AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars.
