Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Chiayi, Taiwan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI), Chiayi, Taiwan would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,239 miles (or 13,259 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 Chiayi Airport (Shueishang 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 Chiayi Airport (Shueishang 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 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.
• 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 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.
• Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.
• 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.
• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.

Facts about Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI):

• The airport was opened on 1 January 1978.
• In addition to being known as "Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport)", other names for CYI include "嘉義航空站水上機場" and "Jiāyì HángkōngzhànShuǐshàng Jīchǎng".
• Because of Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport)'s relatively low elevation of 82 feet, planes can take off or land at Chiayi Airport (Shueishang 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.
• Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI) is Dr. Luis María Argaña International Airport (ESG), which is nearly antipodal to Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (meaning Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Dr. Luis María Argaña International Airport), and is located 12,320 miles (19,827 kilometers) away in Mariscal Estigarribia, Paraguay.
• The closest airport to Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI) is Tainan Airport (TNN), which is located 37 miles (59 kilometers) SSW of CYI.