Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Bryant Army Airfield (FRN), Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,512 miles (or 5,652 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 Bryant Army Airfield, 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 Bryant Army Airfield. 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):

• Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.
• On March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.
• 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.
• Shaw Army Airfield was designated a permanent Army Air Forces instantiation after the war, being transferred to Continental Air Forces on 16 April 1945.
• On 1 April 1951, the 363d TRW was transferred to Shaw from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing would remain at Shaw, under various designations, for the next 43 years.
• 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 Bryant Army Airfield (FRN):

• The furthest airport from Bryant Army Airfield (FRN) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,540 miles (16,963 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• The closest airport to Bryant Army Airfield (FRN) is Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), which is located only 5 miles (8 kilometers) W of FRN.
• Because of Bryant Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 378 feet, planes can take off or land at Bryant Army Airfield 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.
• Bryant Army Airfield (FRN) currently has only 1 runway.