Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Ipota, Erromango, Vanuatu:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Ipota Airport (IPA), Ipota, Erromango, Vanuatu would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,076 miles (or 12,997 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 Ipota 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 Ipota 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 closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of 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.
• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• Following Desert Storm, the 19th and 33d Tactical Fighter Squadrons deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, a coalition effort to enforce the Iraqi "No Fly Zone" south of the 32nd parallel north.
• The 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.
• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.

Facts about Ipota Airport (IPA):

• The closest airport to Ipota Airport (IPA) is Dillon's Bay Airport (DLY), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) WNW of IPA.
• Because of Ipota Airport's relatively low elevation of 23 feet, planes can take off or land at Ipota 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 furthest airport from Ipota Airport (IPA) is Tidjikja Airport (TIY), which is nearly antipodal to Ipota Airport (meaning Ipota Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Tidjikja Airport), and is located 12,386 miles (19,934 kilometers) away in Tidjikja, Mauritania.