Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Circle, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Circle City Airport (IRC), Circle, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,361 miles (or 5,409 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 Circle City 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 Circle City 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 66th TRW was formed at Shaw from the RB-26 assets of the 18th TRS and RF-80s transferred from South Korea.
• 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 March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.
• 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.
• For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a prisoner-of-war camp.
• 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.
• On 1 April 1951, the 363d TRW was transferred to Shaw from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing would remain at Shaw, under various designations, for the next 43 years.

Facts about Circle City Airport (IRC):

• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 303 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 377 enplanements in 2009, and 355 in 2010.
• The closest airport to Circle City Airport (IRC) is Central Airport (CEM), which is located 27 miles (43 kilometers) SW of IRC.
• Circle City Airport (IRC) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Circle City Airport", another name for IRC is "CRC".
• The furthest airport from Circle City Airport (IRC) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,196 miles (16,409 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Because of Circle City Airport's relatively low elevation of 613 feet, planes can take off or land at Circle City 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.