Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Shetland Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MSL to SCS:
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- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- SCS Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about SCS
- Map of Nearest Airports to MSL
- List of Nearest Airports to MSL
- Map of Furthest Airports from MSL
- List of Furthest Airports from MSL
- Map of Nearest Airports to SCS
- List of Nearest Airports to SCS
- Map of Furthest Airports from SCS
- List of Furthest Airports from SCS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Scatsta Airport (SCS), Shetland Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,045 miles (or 6,510 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Scatsta Airport, 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Scatsta Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MSL / KMSL |
Airport Name: | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport |
Location: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W |
Area Served: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama |
Operator/Owner: | Colbert & Lauderdale Counties |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 551 feet (168 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from MSL |
More Information: | MSL Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SCS / EGPM |
Airport Name: | Scatsta Airport |
Location: | Shetland Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom |
GPS Coordinates: | 60°25'58"N by 1°17'45"W |
Area Served: | Shetland |
Operator/Owner: | Serco UK and Europe on behalf of BP |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 81 feet (25 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SCS |
More Information: | SCS Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- Historically, Muscle Shoals was served by Southern Airways which operated Douglas DC-9-10 and DC-9-30 jetliners on nonstop and direct flights to Atlanta.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,143 miles (17,932 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Prior to summer 2009, Muscle Shoals was served from Northwest Airlines' hub in Memphis via Northwest Airlink turboprop service operated by Mesaba Airlines.
- The closest airport to Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), which is located 38 miles (62 kilometers) E of MSL.
- Because of Northwest Alabama Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 551 feet, planes can take off or land at Northwest Alabama 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 Scatsta Airport (SCS):
- After World War II Scatsta Aerodrome lay dormant except for the landing of a US Coastguard Hercules on 24 May 1969, in connection with the LORAN navigation station which had been established at the north west end of runway 13/31.
- Scatsta Airport (SCS) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Scatsta Airport (SCS) is Tingwall Airport (LWK), which is located only 17 miles (27 kilometers) S of SCS.
- The airport has recently undergone significant upgrades as increasing investment has been provided to support the North Sea offshore rigs.
- The furthest airport from Scatsta Airport (SCS) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,409 miles (18,361 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
- Because of Scatsta Airport's relatively low elevation of 81 feet, planes can take off or land at Scatsta 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.