Nonstop flight route between Sármellék, Hungary and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB), Sármellék, Hungary and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,436 miles (or 8,748 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 Hévíz-Balaton 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 Hévíz-Balaton 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 Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB):

• Hévíz-Balaton Airport, previously also known as Sármellék International Airport, is an international airport in Hungary located west of Lake Balaton, 1 kilometre south-southwest of the village of Sármellék, Zala County and Keszthely.
• Sármellék International Airport had operated as a public airport since 1991 and became the second international airport of the country on 15 May 2002 after Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport.
• Because of Hévíz-Balaton Airport's relatively low elevation of 408 feet, planes can take off or land at Hévíz-Balaton 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 December 2005 Ryanair announced three weekly scheduled flights from London-Stansted, the route has since been cut along with flights announced in October 2006 from Hahn.
• The closest airport to Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB) is Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport (MBX), which is located 71 miles (115 kilometers) W of SOB.
• Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Hévíz-Balaton Airport", another name for SOB is "Hévíz-Balaton Repülőtér".
• The furthest airport from Hévíz-Balaton Airport (SOB) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,746 miles (18,904 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• After the disastrous attack, the focus of Eleventh Air Force was shifted to a defensive posture in the event of retaliatory attacks from the Japanese.
• The Korean War brought extensive use by the Military Air Transport Service for the logistical support of Korea and Japan.
• The news of the surrender of the Japanese was met with enthusiasm, the biggest topic was "When do we go home?".
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• On 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station.
• The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.