Nonstop flight route between Tacoma, Washington, United States and Carlsbad, California, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from TCM to CLD:
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- About this route
- TCM Airport Information
- CLD Airport Information
- Facts about TCM
- Facts about CLD
- Map of Nearest Airports to TCM
- List of Nearest Airports to TCM
- Map of Furthest Airports from TCM
- List of Furthest Airports from TCM
- Map of Nearest Airports to CLD
- List of Nearest Airports to CLD
- Map of Furthest Airports from CLD
- List of Furthest Airports from CLD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), Tacoma, Washington, United States and McClellan–Palomar Airport (CLD), Carlsbad, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,006 miles (or 1,618 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 McChord Field/McChord AFB and McClellan–Palomar Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | TCM / KTCM |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Tacoma, Washington, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 47°8'16"N by 122°28'35"W |
Operator/Owner: | U.S. Air Force |
Airport Type: | Military: Air Force Base |
Elevation: | 322 feet (98 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from TCM |
More Information: | TCM Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | CLD / KCRQ |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Carlsbad, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°7'41"N by 117°16'48"W |
Area Served: | North San Diego County |
Operator/Owner: | County of San Diego |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 331 feet (101 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from CLD |
More Information: | CLD Maps & Info |
Facts about McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM):
- The closest airport to McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Gray Army Airfield (GRF), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) SW of TCM.
- The base was the location of the first of twenty-eight stations built by ADC as part of the permanent air defense radar network, and was the top-priority site for ADC radars.
- In addition to being known as "McChord Field/McChord AFB", another name for TCM is "Part of Air Mobility Command (AMC)".
- McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) has 2 runways.
- Today, the successor organization to the 25th AD, the Western Air Defense Sector, is a major tenant organization at McChord, being one of two air defense sectors responsible for the security and integrity of continental United States air space.
- The ADC radar site was deactivated 1 April 1960 and repositioned to Fort Lawton AFS where the Air Force consolidated its anti-aircraft radars with the United States Army Seattle Defense Area Army Air-Defense Command Post S-90DC for Nike missile operations.
- Nearly all new heavy bomb groups organized after Pearl Harbor were organized and trained at Second Air Force Bases, by II Bomber Command operational training units then were deployed to combat commands around the world.
- Because of McChord Field/McChord AFB's relatively low elevation of 322 feet, planes can take off or land at McChord Field/McChord AFB 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.
- Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the 17th Bombardment Group flew anti-submarine patrols off the west coast of the United States with the new North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber.
- The furthest airport from McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,803 miles (17,386 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- In 1945 McChord was designated as a permanent station by the Army Air Forces.
- The 62d Operations Group flies the C-17 Globemaster III transport from McChord Field.
- Other wing components are the 62d Maintenance Group, 62d Mission Support Group and 62d Medical Squadron.
Facts about McClellan–Palomar Airport (CLD):
- McClellan–Palomar Airport is a public airport three miles southeast of Carlsbad in San Diego County, California.
- Previous airline service to the airport includes American Eagle to Los Angeles and America West Express to Phoenix.
- In addition to being known as "McClellan–Palomar Airport", another name for CLD is "CRQ".
- The furthest airport from McClellan–Palomar Airport (CLD) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,512 miles (18,527 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- The closest airport to McClellan–Palomar Airport (CLD) is Bob Maxwell Field (Oceanside Municipal Airport) (OCN), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNW of CLD.
- McClellan–Palomar Airport (CLD) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of McClellan–Palomar Airport's relatively low elevation of 331 feet, planes can take off or land at McClellan–Palomar 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.