Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Altai, Govi-Altai, Mongolia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Altai Airport (LTI), Altai, Govi-Altai, Mongolia would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,881 miles (or 11,075 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 Altai 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 Altai 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):

• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
• In October 1942, the flight training was changed to Advanced flying training and AT-6 Texan single-engine and Beech AT-10 twin-engine trainers were used.
• 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 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.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.

Facts about Altai Airport (LTI):

• Because of Altai Airport's high elevation of 7,260 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at LTI. Combined with a high temperature, this could make LTI a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Altai Airport (LTI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Altai Airport (LTI) is Bayankhongor Airport (BYN), which is located 214 miles (345 kilometers) E of LTI.
• The furthest airport from Altai Airport (LTI) is Cochrane Airfield (LGR), which is located 11,905 miles (19,158 kilometers) away in Cochrane, Chile.
• Altai Airport handled 4,300 passengers last year.