Nonstop flight route between Indianapolis, Indiana, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Indianapolis International Airport (IND), Indianapolis, Indiana, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,456 miles (or 7,170 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 Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Indianapolis International Airport (IND):

• The A concourse has a Delta Sky Club, the first airline lounge at Indianapolis International Airport since US Air closed their lounge after the closure of their hub.
• Indianapolis International Airport handled 7,526,414 passengers last year.
• On October 31, 1994, American Eagle Flight 4184, which was flying from Indianapolis to Chicago, Illinois's O'Hare International Airport, crashed into a soybean field near the northwestern Indiana town of Roselawn, killing all 68 on board.
• The closest airport to Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is Pope Field (GFD), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) E of IND.
• The airport's master plan calls for a fourth runway to be built southeast of I-70 sometime in the future.
• The furthest airport from Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,191 miles (18,011 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In the late 1990s and early 2000s Indianapolis was a hub for then locally based ATA Airlines and its regional affiliate, Chicago Express/ATA Connection.
• Because of Indianapolis International Airport's relatively low elevation of 797 feet, planes can take off or land at Indianapolis 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.
• On October 20, 1987 a United States Air Force A-7D Corsair II crashed into a Ramada Inn near the airport after the pilot was forced to eject due to an engine malfunction.
• Indianapolis International Airport (IND) has 3 runways.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 10 July 1943, eight B-25 Mitchells from the 77th Bombardment Squadron left Adak AAF and refueled at Alexai Point AAF on Attu.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• The spring of 1944 brought improving weather and the B-24s and PV-1s to fly more missions over the Kuriles.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• 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.
• In 1966 the Air Defense Command 9th Air Division assumed jurisdiction of the base.
• There is also an NDB, TACAN and a VOR on the island.
• Additional aircraft and personnel reductions occurred in 1945 and almost all air bases other than Alexi Point, Shemya and Davis in the Aleutians were reduced to caretaker status.