Nonstop flight route between Port Angeles, Washington, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between CGAS Port Angeles (NOW), Port Angeles, Washington, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,681 miles (or 4,314 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 CGAS Port Angeles 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 CGAS Port Angeles 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 CGAS Port Angeles (NOW):

• Its general operational area is the central and eastern parts of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, from Pillar Point to the south of Whidbey Island.
• The furthest airport from CGAS Port Angeles (NOW) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,757 miles (17,311 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• In 1946, the first helicopter, a Sikorsky HO3S-1G arrived.
• At Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles there are no housing facilities available for crew and officers, so renting accommodation in Port Angeles is the only option.
• The closest airport to CGAS Port Angeles (NOW) is William R. Fairchild International AirportPort Angeles Army Airfield (CLM), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of NOW.
• Because of CGAS Port Angeles's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at CGAS Port Angeles 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):

• 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.
• On 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station.
• 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.
• On 1 April 1995, Eareckson AS was converted to contractor operations and maintenance, providing all support on the island.
• With the successful completion of the Aleutian Campaign in August 1943, Eleventh Air Force came within striking distance of the Japanese Kurile Islands, the northernmost being 750 miles to the south-southwest of Shemya.
• 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 limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.
• 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.
• 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?".