Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Baku, Azerbaijan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD), Baku, Azerbaijan would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,405 miles (or 10,309 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 Heydar Aliyev 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 Heydar Aliyev 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):

• 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.
• After the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate military branch in September 1947, Shaw Army Airfield was renamed Shaw Air Force Base, on 13 January 1948 and the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated on 15 August 1947 with the implementation of the Hobson Plan.
• 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.
• 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 Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD):

• The closest airport to Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) is Lankaran International Airport (LLK), which is located 135 miles (218 kilometers) SSW of GYD.
• In addition to being known as "Heydar Aliyev International Airport", another name for GYD is "Heydər Əliyev adına beynəlxalq hava limanı".
• The furthest airport from Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,202 miles (18,028 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) has 2 runways.
• There is a direct express minibus route number 116 operating from the airport to Baku city centre.
• Because of Heydar Aliyev International Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Heydar Aliyev 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 first runway has the magnetic course 16/34 and is 2,700 by 60 m, the second runway's magnetic course is 18/36 and is 3,200 by 45 m.