Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Gwadar, Pakistan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Gwadar International Airport (GWD), Gwadar, Pakistan would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,673 miles (or 12,349 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 Gwadar 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 Gwadar 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):

• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
• 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.
• 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.
• Shaw Field was activated on 30 August 1941 and placed under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Corps Southeast Air Corps Training Center.
• Jurisdiction of Shaw was again transferred to Tactical Air Command on 23 March 1946.

Facts about Gwadar International Airport (GWD):

• Gwadar International Airport (GWD) currently has only 1 runway.
• The town of Gwadar was purchased by Government of Pakistan from Sultan of Muscat in 1958.
• The furthest airport from Gwadar International Airport (GWD) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is located 11,908 miles (19,165 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
• Because of Gwadar International Airport's relatively low elevation of 96 feet, planes can take off or land at Gwadar 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 Gwadar International Airport (GWD) is Jiwani (JIW), which is located 35 miles (56 kilometers) WSW of GWD.
• Pakistan anticipates Gwadar becoming a regional economic hub and, in preparation for this, has issued a directive for the development of New Gwadar International Airport.