Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Jacquinot Bay, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Jacquinot Bay Airport (JAQ), Jacquinot Bay, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,587 miles (or 13,820 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 Jacquinot Bay 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 Jacquinot Bay 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 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.
• Over the next four decades, the squadrons under the 363d TRW changed frequently.
• 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 66th TRW was formed at Shaw from the RB-26 assets of the 18th TRS and RF-80s transferred from South Korea.
• 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 363rd Fighter Wing was inactivated at Shaw AFB on 31 December 1993, and the next day, 1 January 1994, the 20th Fighter Wing inactivated at RAF Upper Heyford and reactivated without personnel or equipment at Shaw AFB, returning to the base it had left for duty with NATO forty-one years earlier.
• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.

Facts about Jacquinot Bay Airport (JAQ):

• Because of Jacquinot Bay Airport's relatively low elevation of 210 feet, planes can take off or land at Jacquinot Bay 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.
• In addition to being known as "Jacquinot Bay Airport", other names for JAQ include "AYJB" and "Jacquinot Bay Airport".
• The closest airport to Jacquinot Bay Airport (JAQ) is Manguna Airport (MFO), which is located 20 miles (33 kilometers) ENE of JAQ.
• The Jacquinot Bay area was liberated by the Australian Army on 4 November 1944.
• Jacquinot Bay Airport (JAQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• Following the Japanese surrender several Japanese aircraft were flown from Vunakanau Airfield to Jacquinot Bay Airfield.
• The furthest airport from Jacquinot Bay Airport (JAQ) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,743 miles (18,899 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
• On 15 November 1945 an RAAF C-47 #13339 crashed into a mountain on a flight from Jacquinot Bay to Rabaul, all 28 passengers and crew were killed.