Nonstop flight route between Shafter, California, United States and Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shafter Airport (MIT), Shafter, California, United States and Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB), Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,499 miles (or 5,631 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 Shafter Airport and Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane 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 Shafter Airport and Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane 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 Shafter Airport (MIT):

• Because of Shafter Airport's relatively low elevation of 424 feet, planes can take off or land at Shafter 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.
• In August, the first operational training units s began arriving at Minter, the airfields mission being advanced pilot training of USAAC bomber, attack, transport and pursuit pilots.
• In addition to being known as "Shafter Airport", another name for MIT is "Minter Field".
• Shafter Airport (MIT) has 2 runways.
• The primary aircraft flown at Minter Field was the Vultee BT-13 Valiant, which was used for basic flight training.
• Lerdo Field, as the airport was initially known during World War II was first opened in June 1941 when the United States Army Air Corps dispatched a small garrison of airmen to open an airfield at Shafter.
• The closest airport to Shafter Airport (MIT) is Meadows Field (BFL), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) ESE of MIT.
• The Gossamer Condor piloted by Bryan Allen won the first Kremer prize on August 23, 1977 by completing a figure '8' course specified by the Royal Aeronautical Society at Minter Field.
• The furthest airport from Shafter Airport (MIT) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,404 miles (18,353 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.

Facts about Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB):

• The closest airport to Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB) is Cyril E. King Airport (STT), which is located only 2 miles (3 kilometers) W of SPB.
• In addition to being known as "Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base", other names for SPB include "St. Thomas Seaplane Base" and "VI22".
• Because of Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base 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.
• Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is nearly antipodal to Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (meaning Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Barrow Island Airport), and is located 12,261 miles (19,732 kilometers) away in Barrow Island, Western Australia, Australia.