Nonstop flight route between Simferopol, Ukraine and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Simferopol International Airport (SIP), Simferopol, Ukraine and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,281 miles (or 8,499 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 Simferopol 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 Simferopol 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 Simferopol International Airport (SIP):

• The furthest airport from Simferopol International Airport (SIP) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,942 miles (17,609 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Simferopol International Airport's relatively low elevation of 639 feet, planes can take off or land at Simferopol 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.
• In the early 2000s, the old runway 01R/19L was taken out of service because of its lack of length and strength.
• In the summer of 1989, the airport was designated as a "western alternate airport" for landing the Buran spacecraft.
• Following the 2014 Russian invasion of Ukraine the airport was seized on 28 February 2014 by Russian forces.
• In addition to being known as "Simferopol International Airport", other names for SIP include "Міжнародний аеропорт "Сімферополь"", "Международный аэропорт "Симферополь"" and "URFF".
• Since March 2014, all international flights to Simferopol Airport with the exception of flights originating from Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have been cancelled or suspended due to Crimea's disputed status.
• Simferopol International Airport (SIP) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Simferopol International Airport (SIP) is Kerch Airport (KHC), which is located 120 miles (193 kilometers) ENE of SIP.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• By the end of 1944, several hundred American airmen had been interned by the Russians after their crippled aircraft landed on Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
• 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.
• 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 404th Bombardment Squadron flew B-24 Liberator heavy bombers along with one Beechcraft AT-7, which was used for navigator training.
• 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.
• 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.
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• 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.