Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Coyhaique, Chile:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Teniente Vidal Airfield (GXQ), Coyhaique, Chile would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,522 miles (or 8,887 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 Teniente Vidal 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 Teniente Vidal 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):

• 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 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.
• For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a prisoner-of-war camp.
• Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of 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.
• Shaw Army Airfield was designated a permanent Army Air Forces instantiation after the war, being transferred to Continental Air Forces on 16 April 1945.
• 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.
• As a result of the August 1992 destruction of Homestead AFB Florida by Hurricane Andrew in September 1992, the 31st Fighter Wing's 309th Fighter Squadron was initially evacuated to Shaw AFB prior to the hurricane making landfall.

Facts about Teniente Vidal Airfield (GXQ):

• Teniente Vidal Airfield (GXQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Teniente Vidal Airfield", other names for GXQ include "Teniente Vidal Airfield (Coyhaique)" and "Aeródromo Teniente Vidal".
• The closest airport to Teniente Vidal Airfield (GXQ) is Balmaceda Airport (BBA), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) SE of GXQ.
• The furthest airport from Teniente Vidal Airfield (GXQ) is Mandalgovi Airport (MXW), which is nearly antipodal to Teniente Vidal Airfield (meaning Teniente Vidal Airfield is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Mandalgovi Airport), and is located 12,358 miles (19,888 kilometers) away in Mandalgovi, Dundgovi, Mongolia.