Nonstop flight route between Lockhart River, Queensland, Australia and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lockhart River Airport (IRG), Lockhart River, Queensland, Australia and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,881 miles (or 7,856 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 Lockhart River 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 Lockhart River 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 Lockhart River Airport (IRG):

• The airport was constructed during World War II, and was used as a bomber and communications base for many years.
• Because of Lockhart River Airport's relatively low elevation of 77 feet, planes can take off or land at Lockhart River 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.
• The furthest airport from Lockhart River Airport (IRG) is Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE), which is located 11,611 miles (18,686 kilometers) away in São Vicente, Cape Verde.
• Lockhart River Airport is an airport in Lockhart River, Queensland, Australia, located approximately 800 km north of Cairns on the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula.
• The closest airport to Lockhart River Airport (IRG) is Coen Airport (CUQ), which is located 69 miles (110 kilometers) S of IRG.
• Lockhart River Airport (IRG) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 7 May 2005 a Fairchild Metroliner aircraft crashed 6 nautical miles north-west of Lockhart River Airport, killing all 15 people on board.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• By the end of 1944, several hundred American airmen had been interned by the Russians after their crippled aircraft landed on Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
• 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 limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.
• 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.
• It also became a Strategic Air Command refueling site for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and KC-135 tankers as part of Operation Chrome Dome.
• 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.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The 404th Bombardment Squadron flew B-24 Liberator heavy bombers along with one Beechcraft AT-7, which was used for navigator training.
• 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.