Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Boma, Democratic Republic of the Congo:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Boma Airport (BOA), Boma, Democratic Republic of the Congo would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,646 miles (or 10,696 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 Boma 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 Boma 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 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.
• On March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.
• On 1 April 1945 jurisdiction of Shaw Field was transferred to First Air Force.
• The 20th Fighter Group was first equipped with North American P-51D, then exchanged its P-51's in February 1948 for F-84B Thunderjets, the first TAC group to receive operational F-84s.
• 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.
• On 25 June 1953, the 66th TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to Sembach Air Base, West Germany.
• The 363d TFW received its first F-16 on 26 March 1982.

Facts about Boma Airport (BOA):

• The furthest airport from Boma Airport (BOA) is Canton Island Airport (CIS), which is located 11,756 miles (18,920 kilometers) away in Canton Island, Kiribati.
• The closest airport to Boma Airport (BOA) is Tshimpi Airport (Matadi Airport) (MAT), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) E of BOA.
• Because of Boma Airport's relatively low elevation of 26 feet, planes can take off or land at Boma 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.