Nonstop flight route between Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Aberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Army Airfield (ABR), Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,741 miles (or 6,020 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 Aberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Army Airfield and Eareckson Air Station, 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 Aberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Army Airfield and Eareckson Air Station. 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 Aberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Army Airfield (ABR):

• In 1923, Aberdeen hosted the first fly-in event in South Dakota.
• Aberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Army Airfield (ABR) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Aberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Army Airfield (ABR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,503 miles (16,903 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Aberdeen Regional AirportAberdeen Army Airfield (ABR) is Britton Municipal Airport (TTO), which is located 41 miles (67 kilometers) NE of ABR.
• Originally named Aberdeen Municipal Airport, the name was changed to Saunders Field in 1946.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• In August 1988, at least one Aries rocket was launched, relating to the Queen Match program, for anti-ballistic missile testing.
• 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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• On 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station.
• The mission of Eleventh Air Force was to take advantage of the new airfields on Shemya and Attu, and carry out offensive operations against the enemy forces in the Kuriles.
• 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.
• 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.
• With the exception of a small station housekeeping unit, Shemya was abandoned after the war.
• Eareckson Air Station is located on the western tip of Alaska's Aleutian islands near the larger island of Attu, and is located approximately 1500 miles southwest of Anchorage.