Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Calais / Dunkerque, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Calais–Dunkerque Airport (CQF), Calais / Dunkerque, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,132 miles (or 6,650 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 Calais–Dunkerque 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 Calais–Dunkerque 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):

• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
• On 25 June 1953, the 66th TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to Sembach Air Base, West Germany.
• 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.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• The 66th TRW was formed at Shaw from the RB-26 assets of the 18th TRS and RF-80s transferred from South Korea.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.

Facts about Calais–Dunkerque Airport (CQF):

• Because of Calais–Dunkerque Airport's relatively low elevation of 12 feet, planes can take off or land at Calais–Dunkerque 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.
• The closest airport to Calais–Dunkerque Airport (CQF) is Dunkerque – Les Moëres Airfield (XDK), which is located 27 miles (43 kilometers) ENE of CQF.
• The furthest airport from Calais–Dunkerque Airport (CQF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,937 miles (19,211 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In addition to being known as "Calais–Dunkerque Airport", another name for CQF is "Aéroport de Calais - Dunkerque".
• Calais–Dunkerque Airport (CQF) currently has only 1 runway.