Nonstop flight route between Monroe, Louisiana, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Monroe Regional Airport (MLU), Monroe, Louisiana, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,618 miles (or 7,432 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 Monroe Regional 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 Monroe Regional 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 Monroe Regional Airport (MLU):

• The airfield was named Selman Army Airfield, named after a Navy Pilot, Lieutenant Augustus J.
• In 2009 Lincoln Builders of Ruston started construction on a new nearly 60,000-square-foot terminal, which was completed in mid-2011.
• The closest airport to Monroe Regional Airport (MLU) is Ruston Regional Airport (RSN), which is located 32 miles (52 kilometers) W of MLU.
• Several regional and commuter airlines served Monroe in the past as well including Royale Airlines which was based in nearby Shreveport, Louisiana and operated hubs at Houston Intercontinental Airport and New Orleans International Airport.
• The furthest airport from Monroe Regional Airport (MLU) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,924 miles (17,581 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Monroe Regional Airport (MLU) has 3 runways.
• During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces Flying Training Command used the airport as a cadet training center beginning in August 1942.
• In October 2011, part one of a two phase passenger terminal project was completed.
• Because of Monroe Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 79 feet, planes can take off or land at Monroe Regional 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.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• 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.
• 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 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 mission of Eleventh Air Force was to take advantage of the new airfields on Shemya and Attu, and carry out offensive operations against the enemy forces in the Kuriles.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.