Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Elenak, Marshall Islands:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SYA to EAL:
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- About this route
- SYA Airport Information
- EAL Airport Information
- Facts about SYA
- Facts about EAL
- Map of Nearest Airports to SYA
- List of Nearest Airports to SYA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SYA
- List of Furthest Airports from SYA
- Map of Nearest Airports to EAL
- List of Nearest Airports to EAL
- Map of Furthest Airports from EAL
- List of Furthest Airports from EAL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Elenak Airport (EAL), Elenak, Marshall Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,026 miles (or 4,869 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 Eareckson Air Station and Elenak Airport, 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 Eareckson Air Station and Elenak Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SYA / PASY |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Shemya, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 52°42'43"N by 174°6'48"E |
Operator/Owner: | U.S. Air Force |
Airport Type: | Military |
Elevation: | 97 feet (30 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SYA |
More Information: | SYA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | EAL / |
Airport Name: | Elenak Airport |
Location: | Elenak, Marshall Islands |
GPS Coordinates: | 9°19'14"N by 166°50'44"E |
Area Served: | Elenak, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands |
Airport Type: | Public |
View all routes: | Routes from EAL |
More Information: | EAL Maps & Info |
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- Because of Eareckson Air Station's relatively low elevation of 97 feet, planes can take off or land at Eareckson Air Station 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 aerial photos taken on the raid showed the Japanese were building up forces in the area, transferring aircraft presumably from air bases on Hokkaido.
- The furthest airport from Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,668 miles (17,168 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
- In 1966 the Air Defense Command 9th Air Division assumed jurisdiction of the base.
- On 28 May 1943, a small detachment of Alaskan Scouts began reconnaissance of Shemya, a small, flat, uninhabited island 35 miles to the east of Attu.
- Shemya has been the scene of two major earthquakes.
- On 10 July 1943, eight B-25 Mitchells from the 77th Bombardment Squadron left Adak AAF and refueled at Alexai Point AAF on Attu.
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
- Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
- In August, after the Soviet Union declared war against the Japanese Empire, B-24s were dispatched on reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions to observe the Russian activity in the Kuriles.
- The news of the surrender of the Japanese was met with enthusiasm, the biggest topic was "When do we go home?".
- In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and " ".
- The closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
Facts about Elenak Airport (EAL):
- The closest airport to Elenak Airport (EAL) is Lae Airport (LML), which is located 48 miles (78 kilometers) SW of EAL.
- The furthest airport from Elenak Airport (EAL) is RAF Ascension (ASI), which is nearly antipodal to Elenak Airport (meaning Elenak Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from RAF Ascension), and is located 12,311 miles (19,812 kilometers) away in Georgetown, Ascension Island, Saint Helena.