Nonstop flight route between Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS), Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,484 miles (or 7,216 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 Piedras Negras International 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 Piedras Negras International 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 Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS):

• In addition to being known as "Piedras Negras International Airport", another name for PDS is "Aeropuerto Internacional de Piedras Negras".
• Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Piedras Negras International Airport's relatively low elevation of 901 feet, planes can take off or land at Piedras Negras International 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.
• The closest airport to Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS) is Laughlin Air Force Base (DLF), which is located 53 miles (85 kilometers) NNW of PDS.
• The furthest airport from Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,253 miles (18,110 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• The Korean War brought extensive use by the Military Air Transport Service for the logistical support of Korea and Japan.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• The aerial photos taken on the raid showed the Japanese were building up forces in the area, transferring aircraft presumably from air bases on Hokkaido.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station.
• 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.
• The station was also used by SAC Cobra Ball and other related projects which monitored missile-associated signals and tracks missiles during boost and re-entry phases to provide reconnaissance for treaty verification and theater ballistic missile proliferation.
• 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.