Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Bamako, Mali:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Bamako Senou International Airport (BKO), Bamako, Mali would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,742 miles (or 7,632 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 Bamako Senou International 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 Bamako Senou International 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 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.
• As a result of the end of the Cold War, the Air Force made several dramatic changes with the inactivation and re-designation of wings and their units.
• The 20th FG was reassigned to Langley AFB, Virginia on 1 December 1951 in preparation for a permanent overseas deployment to RAF Wethersfield, England to support NATO.
• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• The squadrons flew the P-61 Black Widow in Europe with Ninth Air Force during World War II, and were reassigned back to the United States after the end of hostilities.

Facts about Bamako Senou International Airport (BKO):

• Total air traffic at BKO increased by 12.4% in 2007 and 14% in 2008.
• The closest airport to Bamako Senou International Airport (BKO) is Siguiri Airport (GII), which is located 113 miles (181 kilometers) SW of BKO.
• The furthest airport from Bamako Senou International Airport (BKO) is Mota Lava Airport (MTV), which is nearly antipodal to Bamako Senou International Airport (meaning Bamako Senou International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Mota Lava Airport), and is located 12,134 miles (19,528 kilometers) away in Mota Lava, Vanuatu.
• In addition to being known as "Bamako Senou International Airport", another name for BKO is "Aéroport international de Bamako–Sénou".