Nonstop flight route between Gyumri, Armenia and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shirak International Airport (LWN), Gyumri, Armenia and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,329 miles (or 8,576 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 Shirak 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 Shirak 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 Shirak International Airport (LWN):

• On August 3, 2007, the government of Armenia announced that it had agreed to include the management of operations at Armenia's second largest airport in the 30-year concession agreement that it signed with Armenia International Airports CJSC in December 2001 to take over operations at Zvartnots International Airport.
• According to Artem Movsisian, head of the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia, Corporacion America will to turn the airport in Gyumri into a first-class airport.
• Shirak International Airport (LWN) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Shirak International Airport (LWN) is Kars Airport (KSY), which is located 41 miles (66 kilometers) WSW of LWN.
• In addition to being known as "Shirak International Airport", another name for LWN is "Շիրակ Օդանավակայան".
• Because of Shirak International Airport's high elevation of 5,000 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at LWN. Combined with a high temperature, this could make LWN a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The furthest airport from Shirak International Airport (LWN) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,214 miles (18,047 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• 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.
• The 404th Bombardment Squadron flew B-24 Liberator heavy bombers along with one Beechcraft AT-7, which was used for navigator training.
• By August, Eleventh Air Force B-24s were carrying out successful and accurate attacks on the Japanese military installations and the B-25s were successful in driving the Japanese fishing and much of the shipping out of the North Pacific.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1958, the Air Force resumed operations on Shemya in support of various Air Force and Army strategic intelligence collection activities.
• 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 base host squadron was re-designated the 5073rd Air Base Squadron on October 1962, and upgraded to a group on 15 October 1974 in recognition of the number and complexities of the tenant units it supported.
• 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.
• Shemya has been the scene of two major earthquakes.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• The news of the surrender of the Japanese was met with enthusiasm, the biggest topic was "When do we go home?".