Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Hefei, Anhui, China:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Hefei Luogang International Airport (HFE), Hefei, Anhui, China would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,749 miles (or 12,470 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 Hefei Luogang 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 Hefei Luogang 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 group initially conducted training with two squadrons flying the Republic RF-84F "Thunderflash" and two squadrons Group, was a part of Strategic Air Command from July 1947 – May 1951, at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana as an Air Force Reserve corollary unit under the guidance of active duty units in order to train and maintain currency in reconnaissance operations for its reserve personnel.
• The 20th Fighter Group was first equipped with North American P-51D, then exchanged its P-51's in February 1948 for F-84B Thunderjets, the first TAC group to receive operational F-84s.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is one of only two air bases in CONUS with an active railroad line.
• 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.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.

Facts about Hefei Luogang International Airport (HFE):

• The closest airport to Hefei Luogang International Airport (HFE) is Bengbu Airport (BFU), which is located 74 miles (119 kilometers) N of HFE.
• Hefei Luogang International Airport handled 4,398,739 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Hefei Luogang International Airport (HFE) is Ingeniero Aeronáutico Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport (COR), which is nearly antipodal to Hefei Luogang International Airport (meaning Hefei Luogang International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ingeniero Aeronáutico Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport), and is located 12,342 miles (19,863 kilometers) away in Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
• Hefei Luogang International Airport (HFE) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Hefei Luogang International Airport", other names for HFE include "合肥骆岗国际机场" and "Héféi Luògǎng Guójì Jīchǎng".
• Because of Hefei Luogang International Airport's relatively low elevation of 108 feet, planes can take off or land at Hefei Luogang 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.