Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Ardabil, Iran:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Ardabil Airport (ADU), Ardabil, Iran would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,464 miles (or 10,403 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 Shaw Air Force Base and Ardabil 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 Shaw Air Force Base and Ardabil 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 Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):

• The furthest airport from Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,545 miles (18,580 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In October 1942, the flight training was changed to Advanced flying training and AT-6 Texan single-engine and Beech AT-10 twin-engine trainers were used.
• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• As a result of the August 1992 destruction of Homestead AFB Florida by Hurricane Andrew in September 1992, the 31st Fighter Wing's 309th Fighter Squadron was initially evacuated to Shaw AFB prior to the hurricane making landfall.
• On March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.

Facts about Ardabil Airport (ADU):

• The closest airport to Ardabil Airport (ADU) is Lankaran International Airport (LLK), which is located 36 miles (59 kilometers) NE of ADU.
• Because of Ardabil Airport's high elevation of 4,315 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at ADU. Combined with a high temperature, this could make ADU a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The furthest airport from Ardabil Airport (ADU) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,366 miles (18,291 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Ardabil Airport (ADU) currently has only 1 runway.