Nonstop flight route between Caloundra, Queensland, Australia and Sumter, South Carolina, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Caloundra Airport (CUD), Caloundra, Queensland, Australia and Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,241 miles (or 14,872 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 Caloundra 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 Caloundra 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 Caloundra Airport (CUD):

• Caloundra Airport (CUD) has 2 runways.
• The Queensland Institute for Aviation Engineering's main campus has been located at the airport since 2000.
• The closest airport to Caloundra Airport (CUD) is Sunshine-Coast-Airport (MCY), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) N of CUD.
• The furthest airport from Caloundra Airport (CUD) is La Palma Airport (SPC), which is located 11,864 miles (19,093 kilometers) away in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain.
• Because of Caloundra Airport's relatively low elevation of 125 feet, planes can take off or land at Caloundra 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.
• Early aircraft operations in the Caloundra area used the sandy beaches for takeoffs and landings, however as early as 1927, community groups were calling for the construction of an airport.

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.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• 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 closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.
• On 25 June 1953, the 66th TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to Sembach Air Base, West Germany.
• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.