Nonstop flight route between Coatesville, Pennsylvania, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport (CTH), Coatesville, Pennsylvania, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,793 miles (or 7,714 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 Chester County G. O. Carlson 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 Chester County G. O. Carlson 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 Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport (CTH):

• As part of the 12-year-plan for the airport, many projects are planned.
• The closest airport to Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport (CTH) is Brandywine Airport (OQN), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) E of CTH.
• Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport (CTH) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport (CTH) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,702 miles (18,833 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport", another name for CTH is "MQS".
• Because of Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport's relatively low elevation of 660 feet, planes can take off or land at Chester County G. O. Carlson 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.
• Chester County's airport identifier was 40N but it has recently changed to MQS.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (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.
• There is also an NDB, TACAN and a VOR on the island.
• 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 "  ".
• 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.
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• 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.
• On 27 January 1992 the 5073rd Air Base Group located at Shemya AFB was re-designated as the Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force 673d Air Base Group.
• 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 August, after the Soviet Union declared war against the Japanese Empire, B-24s were dispatched on reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions to observe the Russian activity in the Kuriles.