Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Don Muang, Bangkok, Thailand:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Don Mueang International Airport (DMK), Don Muang, Bangkok, Thailand would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,127 miles (or 14,689 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 Don Mueang 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 Don Mueang 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):

• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• 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 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 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• 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.

Facts about Don Mueang International Airport (DMK):

• Don Mueang is a joint-use facility with the Royal Thai Air Force's Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base, and is the home of the RTAF 1st Air Division, which consists primarily of non-combat aircraft.
• The furthest airport from Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) is Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM), which is nearly antipodal to Don Mueang International Airport (meaning Don Mueang International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Jorge Chávez International Airport), and is located 12,235 miles (19,691 kilometers) away in Callao (near Lima), Peru.
• Originally, the only access was by rail service connecting with Hua Lamphong Railway Station in the center of Bangkok.
• Because of Don Mueang International Airport's relatively low elevation of 9 feet, planes can take off or land at Don Mueang International 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 Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) is Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), which is located only 18 miles (29 kilometers) SSE of DMK.
• Although initially deserted by commercial carriers upon the opening of the Suvarnabhumi Airport, the higher costs of the new airport to operators as well as safety concerns over cracked runways at the new airport caused many to seek a return to Don Mueang.
• Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Don Mueang International Airport", another name for DMK is "ท่าอากาศยานดอนเมือง".
• Don Mueang was an important hub of Asia and the hub of Thai Airways International prior to its closure.