Nonstop flight route between Kulusuk, Greenland and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kulusuk Airport (KUS), Kulusuk, Greenland and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,099 miles (or 6,596 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 Kulusuk 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 Kulusuk 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 Kulusuk Airport (KUS):

• There is no deicing equipment at the airport, which is costly and problematic in Greenlandic winter.
• Kulusuk Airport handled 14,738 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "Kulusuk Airport", another name for KUS is "Mittarfik Kulusuk".
• Kulusuk Airport (KUS) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Kulusuk Airport's relatively low elevation of 117 feet, planes can take off or land at Kulusuk 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 closest airport to Kulusuk Airport (KUS) is Tasiilaq Heliport (AGM), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) W of KUS.
• The furthest airport from Kulusuk Airport (KUS) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 10,856 miles (17,471 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• The airstrip was built by the US defense in 1956, in order to support a Distant Early Warning Line station.
• Approaching Kulusuk Airport from the east

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• 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.
• A second attack by B-24 Liberators was launched from Alexai Point and Shemya on 18 July.
• 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.
• 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.
• In 1966 the Air Defense Command 9th Air Division assumed jurisdiction of the base.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.