Nonstop flight route between Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Molokai Airport (MKK), Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,662 miles (or 4,285 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 Molokai 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 Molokai 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 Molokai Airport (MKK):

• Molokai Airport (MKK) has 2 runways.
• On October 28, 1989, Aloha Island Air flight 1712, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft, collided with mountains near Halawa Valley, Molokai, while en route on a scheduled passenger flight from Kahului Airport to Molokai Airport in Hoolehua.
• The furthest airport from Molokai Airport (MKK) is Maun Airport (MUB), which is nearly antipodal to Molokai Airport (meaning Molokai Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maun Airport), and is located 12,348 miles (19,873 kilometers) away in Maun, Botswana.
• The closest airport to Molokai Airport (MKK) is Kalaupapa Airport (LUP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) ENE of MKK.
• Because of Molokai Airport's relatively low elevation of 454 feet, planes can take off or land at Molokai 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.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 89,468 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 65,984 enplanements in 2009, and 88,688 in 2010.

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.
• 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.
• On 27 January 1992 the 5073rd Air Base Group located at Shemya AFB was re-designated as the Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force 673d Air Base Group.
• 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.
• There is also an NDB, TACAN and a VOR on the island.
• After the disastrous attack, the focus of Eleventh Air Force was shifted to a defensive posture in the event of retaliatory attacks from the Japanese.
• 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.
• The news of the surrender of the Japanese was met with enthusiasm, the biggest topic was "When do we go home?".
• In 1958, the Air Force resumed operations on Shemya in support of various Air Force and Army strategic intelligence collection activities.