Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Auxerre, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome (AUF), Auxerre, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,269 miles (or 6,870 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 Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome, 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 Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome. 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):

• 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 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.
• After the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate military branch in September 1947, Shaw Army Airfield was renamed Shaw Air Force Base, on 13 January 1948 and the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated on 15 August 1947 with the implementation of the Hobson Plan.
• Jurisdiction of Shaw was again transferred to Tactical Air Command on 23 March 1946.
• 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 1 April 1945 jurisdiction of Shaw Field was transferred to First Air Force.
• The group initially conducted training with two squadrons flying the Republic RF-84F "Thunderflash" and two squadrons Group, was a part of Strategic Air Command from July 1947 – May 1951, at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana as an Air Force Reserve corollary unit under the guidance of active duty units in order to train and maintain currency in reconnaissance operations for its reserve personnel.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is one of only two air bases in CONUS with an active railroad line.

Facts about Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome (AUF):

• The furthest airport from Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome (AUF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome (meaning Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,158 miles (19,566 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In addition to being known as "Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome", another name for AUF is "Aérodrome d'Auxerre - Branches".
• Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome (AUF) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome (AUF) is Troyes - Barberey Airport (QYR), which is located 41 miles (65 kilometers) NE of AUF.
• Because of Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome's relatively low elevation of 523 feet, planes can take off or land at Auxerre - Branches Aerodrome 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.