Nonstop flight route between Roatán, Honduras and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands (RTB), Roatán, Honduras and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,707 miles (or 9,184 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 Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands 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 Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands 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 Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands (RTB):

• The airport resides at an elevation of 12 m above mean sea level.
• The Airport is located on the western side of Roatan, next to the main city, Coxen Hole.
• In addition to being known as "Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands", another name for RTB is "Aeropuerto Internacional Roatán – Bay Islands".
• Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands (RTB) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands (RTB) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands (meaning Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,074 miles (19,431 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The closest airport to Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands (RTB) is Guanaja Airport (GJA), which is located 42 miles (67 kilometers) ENE of RTB.
• Because of Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands's relatively low elevation of 39 feet, planes can take off or land at Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands 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):

• Additional aircraft and personnel reductions occurred in 1945 and almost all air bases other than Alexi Point, Shemya and Davis in the Aleutians were reduced to caretaker status.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• The spring of 1944 brought improving weather and the B-24s and PV-1s to fly more missions over the Kuriles.
• 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 404th Bombardment Squadron flew B-24 Liberator heavy bombers along with one Beechcraft AT-7, which was used for navigator training.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station.