Nonstop flight route between Celle, Germany and Tacoma, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Celle Air Base (ZCN), Celle, Germany and Gray Army Airfield (GRF), Tacoma, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,005 miles (or 8,055 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 Celle Air Base 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 Celle Air Base 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 Celle Air Base (ZCN):

• In addition to being known as "Celle Air Base", other names for ZCN include "Heeresflugplatz Celle" and "(Advanced Landing Ground B-118)".
• After RAF Fassberg and RAF Wunstorf Celle became the third airfield in the region to serve in the airlift.
• In 1910 flight trials were undertaken on the Scheuener Heide, a heath north of the river Aller.
• The furthest airport from Celle Air Base (ZCN) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,761 miles (18,928 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Celle Air Base (ZCN) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Celle Air Base (ZCN) is Hannover Airport (HAJ), which is located only 17 miles (27 kilometers) WSW of ZCN.
• After having been taken over by British forces, it came under the control of the Royal Air Force Germany and was renamed RAF Station Celle.
• Because of Celle Air Base's relatively low elevation of 129 feet, planes can take off or land at Celle Air Base 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.
• Under British occupation metal plates were laid on the entire airfield in order to enable the landing of larger aircraft.
• Without having suffered any serious damage the air base was surrendered by a German NCO to the British Army on 11 April 1945.
• Celle Air Base can be approached by way of a connecting road to the Landesstraße 310 which is used as a spur route to the motorways A 7 and A 352.
• Peculiarly, from 1959 until 1967 two transport wings of the German Air Force were also stationed at Celle.
• From 1959 until 1966, a US Air Force unit equipped with two MSQ-1A radar was stationed at Celle Air Base.

Facts about Gray Army Airfield (GRF):

• The 9th Cavalry Brigade in the 1980s developed air-assault strategies with their AH-1 Cobra helicopters based upon experiences learned in Vietnam.
• 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 1926, the War Department observing aviation expansion overseas requested additional aviation funding.
• World War II cantonment construction involved the demolition of some of the pre-1941 buildings.
• In October 1921 Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” biplanes flew from the Naval Station at Sand Point to a grass airfield at what was then called "Camp Lewis", located at a site just west of today’s Gray AAF.
• Gray Army Airfield (GRF) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Gray Army Airfield", another name for GRF is "(Joint Base Lewis-McChord)".
• 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.
• 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.