Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Atyrau, Kazakhstan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Atyrau International Airport (GUW), Atyrau, Kazakhstan would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,101 miles (or 9,818 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 Atyrau 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 Atyrau 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):

• 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.
• For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a prisoner-of-war camp.
• On 25 June 1953, the 66th TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to Sembach Air Base, West Germany.
• 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.
• Shaw Air Force Base is a United States Military facility located approximately 8.4 miles west-northwest of Sumter, South Carolina.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.

Facts about Atyrau International Airport (GUW):

• In addition to being known as "Atyrau International Airport", other names for GUW include "Атырау халықаралық әуежайы" and "Международный аэропорт Атырау".
• In 2006 ATMA completed the construction of the new terminal building and a new longer runway.
• The furthest airport from Atyrau International Airport (GUW) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 10,735 miles (17,276 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Atyrau International Airport (GUW) currently has only 1 runway.
• ATMA obtained the operational rights of ATMA Atyrau Airport when the airport was privatized as a build and operate model in 1994.
• The closest airport to Atyrau International Airport (GUW) is Narimanovo Airport (ASF), which is located 190 miles (305 kilometers) WSW of GUW.
• Because of Atyrau International Airport's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Atyrau 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.
• ATMA Atyrau Airport is an airport located 8 km northwest of Atyrau, Kazakhstan.