Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from SSC to MQX:
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- About this route
- SSC Airport Information
- MQX Airport Information
- Facts about SSC
- Facts about MQX
- Map of Nearest Airports to SSC
- List of Nearest Airports to SSC
- Map of Furthest Airports from SSC
- List of Furthest Airports from SSC
- Map of Nearest Airports to MQX
- List of Nearest Airports to MQX
- Map of Furthest Airports from MQX
- List of Furthest Airports from MQX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Alula Aba Nega Airport (MQX), Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,314 miles (or 11,770 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 Alula Aba Nega 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 Alula Aba Nega Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SSC / KSSC |
Airport Name: | Shaw Air Force Base |
Location: | Sumter, South Carolina, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°58'23"N by 80°28'22"W |
View all routes: | Routes from SSC |
More Information: | SSC Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MQX / HAMK |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia |
GPS Coordinates: | 13°28'1"N by 39°31'59"E |
Area Served: | Mek'ele, Ethiopia |
Operator/Owner: | Ethiopian Airports Enterprise |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 7406 feet (2,257 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from MQX |
More Information: | MQX Maps & Info |
Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):
- 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 March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.
- 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.
- The squadrons flew the P-61 Black Widow in Europe with Ninth Air Force during World War II, and were reassigned back to the United States after the end of hostilities.
- 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.
- Shaw Air Force Base is a United States Military facility located approximately 8.4 miles west-northwest of Sumter, South Carolina.
Facts about Alula Aba Nega Airport (MQX):
- In addition to being known as "Alula Aba Nega Airport", another name for MQX is "አሉላ አባ ነጋ ዓለም አቀፍ የአየር ማረፊያ".
- Because of Alula Aba Nega Airport's high elevation of 7,406 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at MQX. Combined with a high temperature, this could make MQX a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The closest airport to Alula Aba Nega Airport (MQX) is Axum Emperor Yohannes IV Airport (AXU), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) NW of MQX.
- Alula Aba Nega Airport (MQX) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Alula Aba Nega Airport (MQX) is Fangatau Airport (FGU), which is nearly antipodal to Alula Aba Nega Airport (meaning Alula Aba Nega Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Fangatau Airport), and is located 12,272 miles (19,750 kilometers) away in Fangatau, French Polynesia.
- Alula Aba Nega Airport handled 112,060 passengers last year.