Nonstop flight route between Elista, Kalmykia, Russia and Shemya, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from ESL to SYA:
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- About this route
- ESL Airport Information
- SYA Airport Information
- Facts about ESL
- Facts about SYA
- Map of Nearest Airports to ESL
- List of Nearest Airports to ESL
- Map of Furthest Airports from ESL
- List of Furthest Airports from ESL
- 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 Elista International Airport (ESL), Elista, Kalmykia, Russia and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,977 miles (or 8,010 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 Elista International 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 Elista International 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: | ESL / URWI |
Airport Name: | Elista International Airport |
Location: | Elista, Kalmykia, Russia |
GPS Coordinates: | 46°22'26"N by 44°19'50"E |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 501 feet (153 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from ESL |
More Information: | ESL 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 Elista International Airport (ESL):
- The furthest airport from Elista International Airport (ESL) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 10,827 miles (17,424 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
- Because of Elista International Airport's relatively low elevation of 501 feet, planes can take off or land at Elista International 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.
- Elista International Airport (ESL) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Elista International Airport (ESL) is Stavropol Shpakovskoye Airport (STW), which is located 138 miles (222 kilometers) SW of ESL.
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- 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.
- 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.
- It also became a Strategic Air Command refueling site for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and KC-135 tankers as part of Operation Chrome Dome.
- 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.
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The mission of Eleventh Air Force was to take advantage of the new airfields on Shemya and Attu, and carry out offensive operations against the enemy forces in the Kuriles.
- In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and " ".
- 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.