Nonstop flight route between Alakanuk, Alaska, United States and Sumter, South Carolina, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Alakanuk Airport (AUK), Alakanuk, Alaska, United States and Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,984 miles (or 6,411 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 Alakanuk Airport and Shaw Air Force 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 Alakanuk Airport and Shaw Air Force Base. 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 Alakanuk Airport (AUK):

• Alakanuk Airport (AUK) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Alakanuk Airport", another name for AUK is "PAUK".
• Because of Alakanuk Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Alakanuk 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 Alakanuk Airport (AUK) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,448 miles (16,814 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• Alakanuk Airport is a state owned, public use airport located one nautical mile southwest of the central business district of Alakanuk, a city in the Wade Hampton Census Area of the U.S.
• The closest airport to Alakanuk Airport (AUK) is Emmonak Airport (EMK), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) NE of AUK.

Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):

• The furthest airport from Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,545 miles (18,580 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In October 1942, the flight training was changed to Advanced flying training and AT-6 Texan single-engine and Beech AT-10 twin-engine trainers were used.
• The squadrons flew the P-61 Black Widow in Europe with Ninth Air Force during World War II, and were reassigned back to the United States after the end of hostilities.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• Shaw Field was activated on 30 August 1941 and placed under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Corps Southeast Air Corps Training Center.
• In addition to the 363d TRW, Headquarters Ninth Air Force was transferred to Shaw from Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina on 1 September 1954.