Nonstop flight route between Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sumter, South Carolina, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between N'djili Airport (FIH), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,726 miles (or 10,825 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 N'djili 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 N'djili 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 N'djili Airport (FIH):

• In addition to being known as "N'djili Airport", another name for FIH is "Aéroport de N'djili".
• N'djili Airport, also known as N'Djili International Airport and Kinshasa International Airport, serves the city of Kinshasa and is the largest of the four international airports in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• N'djili Airport handled 672,347 passengers last year.
• The airport has barely been maintained or upgraded and is still using the infrastructure built by the Belgians during the colonial era.
• The closest airport to N'djili Airport (FIH) is Maya–Maya Airport (BZV), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) NW of FIH.
• N'djili Airport (FIH) currently has only 1 runway.
• Air Traffic Control Tower at Kinshasa International Airport
• The furthest airport from N'djili Airport (FIH) is Cassidy International Airport (CXI), which is located 11,913 miles (19,172 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Kiribati.

Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):

• As a result of the August 1992 destruction of Homestead AFB Florida by Hurricane Andrew in September 1992, the 31st Fighter Wing's 309th Fighter Squadron was initially evacuated to Shaw AFB prior to the hurricane making landfall.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• 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.
• On 25 June 1953, the 66th TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to Sembach Air Base, West Germany.
• After the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate military branch in September 1947, Shaw Army Airfield was renamed Shaw Air Force Base, on 13 January 1948 and the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated on 15 August 1947 with the implementation of the Hobson Plan.
• 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.
• The 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.