Nonstop flight route between Shimojishima, Japan and Kärdla, Hiiumaa, Estonia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shimojishima Airport (SHI), Shimojishima, Japan and Kärdla Airport (KDL), Kärdla, Hiiumaa, Estonia would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,177 miles (or 8,331 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 Shimojishima Airport and Kärdla 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 Shimojishima Airport and Kärdla Airport. 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 Shimojishima Airport (SHI):

• As of early 2013, serious consideration was being given to basing a detachment of JASDF F-15J fighters out of the Airport, in order to provide better air defense coverage over the Senkaku Islands.
• Because of Shimojishima Airport's relatively low elevation of 25 feet, planes can take off or land at Shimojishima 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 Shimojishima Airport (SHI) is Miyako Airport (MMY), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ESE of SHI.
• In 2004, there were some protests over the use of the airport as a refueling stop by USMC helicopters returning from an exercise in the Philippines.
• The airport, also known as Shimoji Airport, was originally built as a 'training airport' for commercial pilots, with a secondary role as a alternative landing site for intercontinental supersonic airliners.
• The furthest airport from Shimojishima Airport (SHI) is Guaraní International Airport (AGT), which is nearly antipodal to Shimojishima Airport (meaning Shimojishima Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Guaraní International Airport), and is located 12,393 miles (19,945 kilometers) away in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.
• In addition to being known as "Shimojishima Airport", other names for SHI include "下地島空港" and "Shimojishima Kūkō".
• The prefecture operates the airport, which has been classified as a Third Class airport since May 1979.
• Shimojishima Airport (SHI) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Kärdla Airport (KDL):

• The airport has an asphalt runway of 1,520 metres length and 30 metres width.
• Kärdla Airport (KDL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Kärdla Airport (KDL) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,109 miles (17,877 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Kärdla Airport (KDL) is Kuressaare Airport (URE), which is located 54 miles (87 kilometers) SSW of KDL.
• Because of Kärdla Airport's relatively low elevation of 18 feet, planes can take off or land at Kärdla 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.
• Kärdla Airport opened in 1963.
• In addition to being known as "Kärdla Airport", another name for KDL is "Kärdla lennujaam".
• The airport has annual Flight Days in the first weekend of August.