Nonstop flight route between Umeå, Sweden and Tacoma, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from UME to GRF:
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- About this route
- UME Airport Information
- GRF Airport Information
- Facts about UME
- Facts about GRF
- Map of Nearest Airports to UME
- List of Nearest Airports to UME
- Map of Furthest Airports from UME
- List of Furthest Airports from UME
- Map of Nearest Airports to GRF
- List of Nearest Airports to GRF
- Map of Furthest Airports from GRF
- List of Furthest Airports from GRF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Umeå Airport (UME), Umeå, Sweden and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,514 miles (or 7,265 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 Umeå Airport and Gray Army Airfield, 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 Umeå Airport and Gray Army Airfield. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | UME / ESNU |
Airport Name: | Umeå Airport |
Location: | Umeå, Sweden |
GPS Coordinates: | 63°47'30"N by 20°16'58"E |
Area Served: | Umeå, Sweden |
Operator/Owner: | Swedavia |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 24 feet (7 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from UME |
More Information: | UME Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | GRF / KGRF |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Tacoma, Washington, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 47°4'45"N by 122°34'50"W |
Operator/Owner: | U.S. Army ATCA-ASO |
Airport Type: | Military |
Elevation: | 300 feet (91 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from GRF |
More Information: | GRF Maps & Info |
Facts about Umeå Airport (UME):
- Because of Umeå Airport's relatively low elevation of 24 feet, planes can take off or land at Umeå 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.
- The airport was inaugurated in May 1962, but had its first flight in 1961.
- The furthest airport from Umeå Airport (UME) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,907 miles (17,554 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- Umeå Airport (UME) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Umeå Airport (UME) is Örnsköldsvik Airport (OER), which is located 48 miles (77 kilometers) WSW of UME.
Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):
- In 1926, the War Department observing aviation expansion overseas requested additional aviation funding.
- The closest airport to Gray Army Airfield (GRF) is McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) NE of GRF.
- During the Korean War, GAAF continued in the role as a training and division support field.
- World War II cantonment construction involved the demolition of some of the pre-1941 buildings.
- The furthest airport from Gray Army Airfield (GRF) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,809 miles (17,395 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Gray Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 300 feet, planes can take off or land at Gray Army Airfield 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.
- In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
- The 9th Cavalry Brigade in the 1980s developed air-assault strategies with their AH-1 Cobra helicopters based upon experiences learned in Vietnam.
- During the Vietnam War, GAAF not only trained helicopter units, but fixed-wing aircraft units as well.
- Gray Army Airfield, also known as Gray AAF, is a military airfield located within Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, in Pierce County, Washington, United States.