Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and King Cove, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and King Cove Airport (KVC), King Cove, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,025 miles (or 6,478 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 King Cove 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 King Cove 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.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• 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 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.
• Jurisdiction of Shaw was again transferred to Tactical Air Command on 23 March 1946.
• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a prisoner-of-war camp.

Facts about King Cove Airport (KVC):

• The closest airport to King Cove Airport (KVC) is Cold Bay Airport (CDB), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) WNW of KVC.
• King Cove Airport (KVC) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from King Cove Airport (KVC) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,975 miles (17,663 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• Because of King Cove Airport's relatively low elevation of 155 feet, planes can take off or land at King Cove 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.