Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Katowice / Pyrzowice, Poland:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Katowice International Airport (KTW), Katowice / Pyrzowice, Poland would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,831 miles (or 7,774 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 Katowice International 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 Katowice International 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):

• Shaw Army Airfield was designated a permanent Army Air Forces instantiation after the war, being transferred to Continental Air Forces on 16 April 1945.
• Shaw Air Force Base is a United States Military facility located approximately 8.4 miles west-northwest of Sumter, South Carolina.
• 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.
• On 9 August 1990, the 17th and 33d TFS of 363d TFW became the first F-16 squadrons to deploy to the United Arab Emirates in Operation Desert Shield.
• Shaw AFB is home base of the USAF 20th Fighter Wing, which flies F-16CJ Fighting Falcons.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is one of only two air bases in CONUS with an active railroad line.
• Over the next four decades, the squadrons under the 363d TRW changed frequently.

Facts about Katowice International Airport (KTW):

• Because of Katowice International Airport's relatively low elevation of 304 feet, planes can take off or land at Katowice International 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 Katowice International Airport (KTW) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,576 miles (18,630 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The airports concrete runway is 2,800 by 60 m and can accommodate aircraft as large as Boeing 747 or Boeing 777, albeit not at Maximum Takeoff Weight.
• There is an hourly bus service between Katowice city centre and the airport.
• In addition to being known as "Katowice International Airport", other names for KTW include "Międzynarodowy Port Lotniczy Katowice" and "Katowice".
• There is currently no passenger rail link to airport but building of a railway between Katowice and the airport is being planned.
• The closest airport to Katowice International Airport (KTW) is John Paul II International Airport Kraków–Balice (KRK), which is located 41 miles (67 kilometers) SE of KTW.
• The place where the Katowice International Airport is now located, was first used by German soldiers.
• Katowice International Airport (KTW) currently has only 1 runway.