Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Orcas Island, Washington, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SYA to RSJ:
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- About this route
- SYA Airport Information
- RSJ Airport Information
- Facts about SYA
- Facts about RSJ
- 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 RSJ
- List of Nearest Airports to RSJ
- Map of Furthest Airports from RSJ
- List of Furthest Airports from RSJ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ), Orcas Island, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,684 miles (or 4,320 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 Rosario Seaplane Base, 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 Rosario Seaplane Base. 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: |
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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: | RSJ / |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Orcas Island, Washington, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 48°38'44"N by 122°52'5"W |
Area Served: | Rosario, Washington |
Operator/Owner: | Rosario Resort |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 0 feet (0 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from RSJ |
More Information: | RSJ Maps & Info |
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and " ".
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- By August, Eleventh Air Force B-24s were carrying out successful and accurate attacks on the Japanese military installations and the B-25s were successful in driving the Japanese fishing and much of the shipping out of the North Pacific.
- 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.
- Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
- The 404th Bombardment Squadron flew B-24 Liberator heavy bombers along with one Beechcraft AT-7, which was used for navigator training.
- The base host squadron was re-designated the 5073rd Air Base Squadron on October 1962, and upgraded to a group on 15 October 1974 in recognition of the number and complexities of the tenant units it supported.
- 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.
- After the disastrous attack, the focus of Eleventh Air Force was shifted to a defensive posture in the event of retaliatory attacks from the Japanese.
Facts about Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ):
- The closest airport to Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ) is Westsound Seaplane Base (WSX), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of RSJ.
- The furthest airport from Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,715 miles (17,244 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- In addition to being known as "Rosario Seaplane Base", another name for RSJ is "W49".
- Because of Rosario Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Rosario Seaplane 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.
- Rosario Seaplane Base (RSJ) has 2 runways.