Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Luang Prabang, Laos:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ), Luang Prabang, Laos would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,711 miles (or 14,018 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 Luang Prabang 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 Luang Prabang 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):

• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• Over the next four decades, the squadrons under the 363d TRW changed frequently.
• For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a prisoner-of-war camp.
• Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.
• As a result of the August 1992 destruction of Homestead AFB Florida by Hurricane Andrew in September 1992, the 31st Fighter Wing's 309th Fighter Squadron was initially evacuated to Shaw AFB prior to the hurricane making landfall.
• 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.

Facts about Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ):

• In addition to being known as "Luang Prabang International Airport", another name for LPQ is "ສະຫນາມບິນສາກົນຫຼວງພະບາງ".
• The furthest airport from Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) is Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC), which is nearly antipodal to Luang Prabang International Airport (meaning Luang Prabang International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maria Reiche Neuman Airport), and is located 12,040 miles (19,377 kilometers) away in Nazca, Ica Region, Peru.
• Because of Luang Prabang International Airport's relatively low elevation of 955 feet, planes can take off or land at Luang Prabang 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.
• Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) is Sayaboury Airport (ZBY), which is located 54 miles (86 kilometers) SSW of LPQ.