Nonstop flight route between Weerawila, Sri Lanka and Great Falls, Montana, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Weerawila Airport (WRZ), Weerawila, Sri Lanka and Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,646 miles (or 13,914 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 Weerawila Airport and Malmstrom 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 Weerawila Airport and Malmstrom 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 Weerawila Airport (WRZ):

• The closest airport to Weerawila Airport (WRZ) is Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) WNW of WRZ.
• The furthest airport from Weerawila Airport (WRZ) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,727 miles (18,872 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• Weerawila Airport (WRZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Weerawila Airport's relatively low elevation of 50 feet, planes can take off or land at Weerawila 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.
• In addition to being known as "Weerawila Airport", another name for WRZ is "වීරවිල ගුවන්තොටුපළ".

Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):

• 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.
• 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.
• Upon completion of the B-17 training program, in October 1943, Great Falls Army Air Base was transferred to the Air Transport Command and units from Gore Field were transferred to the base.
• The base's runway was closed on 31 December 1996 for aircraft operations.
• In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
• Originally named Great Falls Army Air Base, later Great Falls Air Force Base, the facility was renamed Malmstrom Air Force Base on 1 October 1955 in honor of Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom.
• In 1959 a SAGE data center was established at Malmstrom.
• This included one of the greatest technology transfers in the history of the world.
• With the development of the three-stage, solid-fuel Minuteman I missile in the late 1950s SAC began searching for sites to deploy this revolutionary weapon.
• Later, the 517th Air Transport Wing was redesginated the 1701st Air Transport Wing on 1 June 1948 when Air Transport Command was redesignated the Military Air Transport Service.
• Following World War II, Great Falls Army Air Base played an important role in US defense during the Cold War era.