Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Mauke Island, Cook Islands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (MUK), Mauke Island, Cook Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,280 miles (or 10,106 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 Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke 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 Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke 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):

• 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.
• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
• The 20th Fighter Group was first equipped with North American P-51D, then exchanged its P-51's in February 1948 for F-84B Thunderjets, the first TAC group to receive operational F-84s.
• 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 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.

Facts about Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (MUK):

• The closest airport to Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (MUK) is Mitiaro Island Airport (MOI), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) NW of MUK.
• The furthest airport from Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (MUK) is Faya-Largeau Airport (FYT), which is nearly antipodal to Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) (meaning Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport) is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Faya-Largeau Airport), and is located 12,159 miles (19,568 kilometers) away in Faya-Largeau, Chad.
• Because of Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke Airport)'s relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Akatoka Manava Airport (Mauke 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.