Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Basrah, Iraq:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Basrah International AirportBasrah Airport (BSR), Basrah, Iraq would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,843 miles (or 11,012 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 Basrah International AirportBasrah 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 Basrah International AirportBasrah 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):

• With the closure of Myrtle Beach Air Force Base South Carolina and the inactivation of the 354th Fighter Wing, the 21st Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated at Shaw and received 30 Republic A/OA-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the inactivating 355th Fighter Squadron on 1 April 1992.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• 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.
• 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.
• On 25 June 1953, the 66th TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to Sembach Air Base, West Germany.
• 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 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.

Facts about Basrah International AirportBasrah Airport (BSR):

• The airport was built in the 1980s and then developed in the 1980s by the Iraqi Government department State Organisation for Roads and Bridges as a gateway to the only port in Iraq.
• Basrah International Airport is the second largest international airport in Iraq, and is located in the southern city of Basra.
• Basrah International AirportBasrah Airport (BSR) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Basrah International AirportBasrah Airport (BSR) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,898 miles (19,147 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• The closest airport to Basrah International AirportBasrah Airport (BSR) is Abadan International Airport (ABD), which is located 36 miles (58 kilometers) ESE of BSR.
• Following the American control and since 2002, SkyLink Arabia has been providing ground operations and fuel supply at the airport.
• Because of Basrah International AirportBasrah Airport's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Basrah International AirportBasrah 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.
• Reconstruction of the airport is still under way to improve the facilities.