Nonstop flight route between Great Falls, Montana, United States and Watsonville, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from GFA to WVI:
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- About this route
- GFA Airport Information
- WVI Airport Information
- Facts about GFA
- Facts about WVI
- Map of Nearest Airports to GFA
- List of Nearest Airports to GFA
- Map of Furthest Airports from GFA
- List of Furthest Airports from GFA
- Map of Nearest Airports to WVI
- List of Nearest Airports to WVI
- Map of Furthest Airports from WVI
- List of Furthest Airports from WVI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA), Great Falls, Montana, United States and Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI), Watsonville, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 908 miles (or 1,461 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 Malmstrom Air Force Base and Watsonville Municipal Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | GFA / KGFA |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Great Falls, Montana, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 47°30'16"N by 111°11'13"W |
View all routes: | Routes from GFA |
More Information: | GFA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | WVI / KWVI |
Airport Name: | Watsonville Municipal Airport |
Location: | Watsonville, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 36°56'8"N by 121°47'22"W |
Operator/Owner: | City of Watsonville |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 163 feet (50 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from WVI |
More Information: | WVI Maps & Info |
Facts about Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA):
- On 23 December 1959, the Air Force Ballistic Missile Committee approved the selection of Malmstrom AFB to host the first Minuteman ICBM base.
- In addition to being known as "Malmstrom Air Force Base", another name for GFA is "Malmstrom AFB".
- MATS reopened the C-54 Flight Training School as the 1272 Medium Transition Training Unit in May 1950, one month before the Korean War began.
- Great Falls played a major aerial defense role in North American air defense mission.
- DC-20 was initially under the Great Falls Air Defense Sector, established on 1 March 1959.
- The 801st Radar Squadron was inactivated on 31 December 1969 due to budget reductions.
- This included one of the greatest technology transfers in the history of the world.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI):
- The airport has three approaches, making it a popular instrument training area.
- The Navy took over in July, 1943, purchased an additional 35 acres, built support buildings and the concrete ramp.
- Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI) is Hollister Municipal Airport (HLI), which is located 21 miles (34 kilometers) E of WVI.
- Instrument pilots have been advised that Watsonville is occasionally surrounded by non-IFR traffic that climbs/descends to low stratus layer.
- Because of Watsonville Municipal Airport's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at Watsonville Municipal 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 furthest airport from Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,380 miles (18,315 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.