Nonstop flight route between Craig, Colorado, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Craig–Moffat Airport (CIG), Craig, Colorado, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,623 miles (or 5,831 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 Craig–Moffat 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 Craig–Moffat 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Craig–Moffat Airport (CIG):

• The closest airport to Craig–Moffat Airport (CIG) is Yampa Valley Airport (HDN), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) E of CIG.
• The furthest airport from Craig–Moffat Airport (CIG) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,906 miles (17,552 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In the year ending August 29, 2005 the airport had 2,525 aircraft operations, all general aviation.
• Because of Craig–Moffat Airport's high elevation of 6,193 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at CIG. Combined with a high temperature, this could make CIG a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• In addition to being known as "Craig–Moffat Airport", another name for CIG is "CAG".
• Craig–Moffat Airport is a public airport two miles southeast of Craig, in Moffat County, Colorado.
• Craig–Moffat Airport (CIG) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• 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 closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• 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.
• The Korean War brought extensive use by the Military Air Transport Service for the logistical support of Korea and Japan.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• 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.
• On 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station.
• It also became a Strategic Air Command refueling site for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and KC-135 tankers as part of Operation Chrome Dome.
• On 10 July 1943, eight B-25 Mitchells from the 77th Bombardment Squadron left Adak AAF and refueled at Alexai Point AAF on Attu.