Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Kashgar, Xinjiang, China:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Kashgar Airport (KHG), Kashgar, Xinjiang, China would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,140 miles (or 11,490 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 Kashgar 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 Kashgar 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):

• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
• 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 25 June 1953, the 66th TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to Sembach Air Base, West Germany.
• 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 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.
• 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.

Facts about Kashgar Airport (KHG):

• Kashgar Airport (KHG) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Kashgar Airport", other names for KHG include "喀什机场" and "Kāshí Jīchǎng".
• Because of Kashgar Airport's high elevation of 4,529 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at KHG. Combined with a high temperature, this could make KHG a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The closest airport to Kashgar Airport (KHG) is Osh International Airport (OSS), which is located 186 miles (299 kilometers) WNW of KHG.
• The furthest airport from Kashgar Airport (KHG) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is located 11,526 miles (18,550 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.