Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Nelson Lagoon Airport (NLG), Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,968 miles (or 6,386 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 Nelson Lagoon 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 Nelson Lagoon 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• On 1 April 1951, the 363d TRW was transferred to Shaw from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing would remain at Shaw, under various designations, for the next 43 years.
• 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 Nelson Lagoon Airport (NLG):

• Nelson Lagoon Airport has one runway designated 8/26 with a gravel surface measuring 4,000 by 75 feet.
• The closest airport to Nelson Lagoon Airport (NLG) is Port Moller Airport (PML), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) E of NLG.
• The furthest airport from Nelson Lagoon Airport (NLG) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,914 miles (17,564 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• Because of Nelson Lagoon Airport's relatively low elevation of 14 feet, planes can take off or land at Nelson Lagoon 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.
• Nelson Lagoon Airport (NLG) currently has only 1 runway.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, this airport had 290 commercial passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, a decrease of 4% from the 302 enplanements in 2007.
• In addition to being known as "Nelson Lagoon Airport", another name for NLG is "OUL".