Nonstop flight route between Waterville, Maine, United States and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Waterville Robert Lafleur Airport (WVL), Waterville, Maine, United States and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,505 miles (or 4,032 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 Waterville Robert Lafleur 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 Waterville Robert Lafleur 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Waterville Robert Lafleur Airport (WVL):

• Because of Waterville Robert Lafleur Airport's relatively low elevation of 333 feet, planes can take off or land at Waterville Robert Lafleur 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.
• Waterville Robert Lafleur Airport (WVL) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Waterville Robert Lafleur Airport (WVL) is Central Maine Airport of Norridgewock (OWK), which is located only 16 miles (25 kilometers) NW of WVL.
• The furthest airport from Waterville Robert Lafleur Airport (WVL) is Albany Airport (ALH), which is located 11,665 miles (18,773 kilometers) away in Albany, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• 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.
• Company A, 5th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, conducts high-altitude search-and-rescue operations.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• 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.
• 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.
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• Since 2005 the field has been experiencing another major expansion.
• World War II cantonment construction involved the demolition of some of the pre-1941 buildings.
• The Army Air Force closed its facilities in 1947.
• Used to support Fort Lewis, Army helicopters assisted with medical evacuations at Mount Rainier National Park on numerous occasions in the 1970s.
• After the Korean War, the 2d Aviation Company, of the 2d Infantry Division, which had been the first helicopter unit in Korea, returned to Fort Lewis with observation/spotter aircraft L-19 Bird Dogs, and L-20 Beavers, as well as H-23 Raven helicopters.
• With World War II, Gray Army Airfield received 1.7 million dollars for new hangars and improved facilities.
• The field is named in honor of Captain Lawrence C.