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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Sisimiut Airport (JHS), Sisimiut, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,520 miles (or 4,056 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 Sisimiut 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 Sisimiut 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 March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.
• 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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 Sisimiut Airport (JHS):

• Sisimiut Airport handled 22,955 passengers last year.
• At the terminal there is a Post Greenland box, a soft drink machine and television, and a small exhibition from the Sisimiut Museum.
• Sisimiut Airport (JHS) currently has only 1 runway.
• There is no deicing equipment at the airport, which is costly and problematic in Greenlandic winter.
• In addition to being known as "Sisimiut Airport", other names for JHS include "Mittarfik Sisimiut" and "Sisimiut Lufthavn".
• The closest airport to Sisimiut Airport (JHS) is Attu Heliport (QGQ), which is located 68 miles (110 kilometers) N of JHS.
• Because of Sisimiut Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at Sisimiut 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 Sisimiut Airport (JHS) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 10,591 miles (17,044 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• The construction of Sisimiut Airport was part of the regional airport network extension in Greenland, with several airports built to serve STOL aircraft of Air Greenland − the venerable De Havilland Canada Dash-7s acquired in the preceding decade − planes particularly suited to the often severe weather conditions in Greenland.