Nonstop flight route between Detroit, Michigan, United States and Tacoma, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from YIP to GRF:
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- About this route
- YIP Airport Information
- GRF Airport Information
- Facts about YIP
- Facts about GRF
- Map of Nearest Airports to YIP
- List of Nearest Airports to YIP
- Map of Furthest Airports from YIP
- List of Furthest Airports from YIP
- 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 Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP), Detroit, Michigan, United States and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,927 miles (or 3,102 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 Willow Run Airport (YIP) and Gray Army Airfield, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | YIP / KYIP |
| Airport Name: | Willow Run Airport (YIP) |
| Location: | Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 42°14'16"N by 83°31'49"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Wayne County Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 716 feet (218 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 4 |
| View all routes: | Routes from YIP |
| More Information: | YIP Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GRF / KGRF |
| Airport Names: |
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| 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 Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP):
- The furthest airport from Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,276 miles (18,147 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Opened in 1942, "Willow Run" was synonymous with the American industrial effort that contributed so much to Allied victory in World War II.
- The first Ford-built Liberators rolled off the Willow Run line in September 1942.
- Between 1946 and 1947, passenger airlines serving Detroit moved from Detroit City Airport on the city's crowded east side, to Willow Run.
- The closest airport to Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP) is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) E of YIP.
- In 1951, the United States Air Force exercised a right of return to Willow Run and established Willow Run Air Force Station to the east of the airport runway ).
- Because of Willow Run Airport (YIP)'s relatively low elevation of 716 feet, planes can take off or land at Willow Run Airport (YIP) 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.
- By fall 1944 Willow Run had moved from the B-24L to the B-24M, the last Liberator to be built in significant numbers.
- Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP) has 4 runways.
Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):
- During the Korean War, GAAF continued in the role as a training and division support field.
- 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.
- The Army Air Force closed its facilities in 1947.
- It should not confused with Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood in Texas.
- Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
- Camp Lewis advocates pushed for it to be a major dirigible and fixed-wing field.
- GAAF units have served in Iraq with Company A, 5th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, returning from a 15 month deployment on April 17, 2004.
- 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.
