Nonstop flight route between Aguadilla, Puerto Rico and Shemya, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from BQN to SYA:
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- About this route
- BQN Airport Information
- SYA Airport Information
- Facts about BQN
- Facts about SYA
- Map of Nearest Airports to BQN
- List of Nearest Airports to BQN
- Map of Furthest Airports from BQN
- List of Furthest Airports from BQN
- Map of Nearest Airports to SYA
- List of Nearest Airports to SYA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SYA
- List of Furthest Airports from SYA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Rafael Hernández Airport (BQN), Aguadilla, Puerto Rico and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,313 miles (or 10,161 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 Rafael Hernández Airport 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 Rafael Hernández Airport and Eareckson Air Station. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BQN / TJBQ |
| Airport Name: | Rafael Hernández Airport |
| Location: | Aguadilla, Puerto Rico |
| GPS Coordinates: | 18°29'42"N by 67°7'45"W |
| Area Served: | Aguadilla, Puerto Rico |
| Operator/Owner: | Puerto Rico Ports Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 237 feet (72 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BQN |
| More Information: | BQN Maps & Info |
Arrival 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 |
Facts about Rafael Hernández Airport (BQN):
- The south side of the airport is the largest portion of the airport, but is currently undeveloped.
- Because of Rafael Hernández Airport's relatively low elevation of 237 feet, planes can take off or land at Rafael Hernández 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.
- On February 20, 2012, it was announced by both the mayor of Aguadilla and the U.S.
- The closest airport to Rafael Hernández Airport (BQN) is Eugenio María de Hostos Airport (MAZ), which is located only 17 miles (27 kilometers) S of BQN.
- It used to receive domestic commercial flights by Prinair as well as service from JFK International Airport in New York City with Capitol Air, and 707 passenger flights from Miami with Southeast Airlines.
- The furthest airport from Rafael Hernández Airport (BQN) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is nearly antipodal to Rafael Hernández Airport (meaning Rafael Hernández Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Barrow Island Airport), and is located 12,204 miles (19,641 kilometers) away in Barrow Island, Western Australia, Australia.
- Due to the success of service, Spirit Airlines has increased their frequency to daily to/from Ft.
- Rafael Hernández Airport (BQN) currently has only 1 runway.
- In late January 2011, the airport hosted sea level tests for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- There is also an NDB, TACAN and a VOR on the island.
- 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.
- 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.
- Additional aircraft and personnel reductions occurred in 1945 and almost all air bases other than Alexi Point, Shemya and Davis in the Aleutians were reduced to caretaker status.
- 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.
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
- In 1958, the Air Force resumed operations on Shemya in support of various Air Force and Army strategic intelligence collection activities.
- 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.
- In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and " ".
- On 1 July 1994, the 11th Air Control Wing was inactivated and the 673d ABG was reassigned to Eleventh Air Force.
- Shemya has been the scene of two major earthquakes.
