Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Ilulissat, Greenland:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Ilulissat Airport (JAV), Ilulissat, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,686 miles (or 4,322 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 Ilulissat 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 Ilulissat 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):

• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• 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 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 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.
• 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.
• With the closure of Myrtle Beach Air Force Base South Carolina and the inactivation of the 354th Fighter Wing, the 21st Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated at Shaw and received 30 Republic A/OA-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the inactivating 355th Fighter Squadron on 1 April 1992.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Ilulissat Airport (JAV):

• Because of Ilulissat Airport's relatively low elevation of 95 feet, planes can take off or land at Ilulissat 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.
• Cougar Helicopters Sikorsky S-92 landing at Ilulissat Airport
• Air Iceland de Havilland Canada Dash-8 106
• Air Greenland operates government contract flights to villages in the Disko Bay area.
• Ilulissat Airport handled 41,965 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Ilulissat Airport (JAV) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 10,495 miles (16,891 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• The closest airport to Ilulissat Airport (JAV) is Qasigiannguit Heliport (JCH), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) S of JAV.
• In addition to being known as "Ilulissat Airport", other names for JAV include "Mittarfik Ilulissat" and "Ilulissat Lufthavn".
• Ilulissat Airport (JAV) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 29 January 2014, a De Havilland DHC-8 operated by Air Greenland suffered substantial damage in a landing accident, causing three injuries.