Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Port Lions, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Port Lions Airport (ORI), Port Lions, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,637 miles (or 5,853 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 Port Lions 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 Port Lions 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 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.
• Over the next four decades, the squadrons under the 363d TRW changed frequently.
• The 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.
• Shaw Field was activated on 30 August 1941 and placed under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Corps Southeast Air Corps Training Center.
• 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.
• On 9 August 1990, the 17th and 33d TFS of 363d TFW became the first F-16 squadrons to deploy to the United Arab Emirates in Operation Desert Shield.

Facts about Port Lions Airport (ORI):

• Port Lions Airport (ORI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Port Lions Airport (ORI) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,784 miles (17,355 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 2,386 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 2,666 enplanements in 2009, and 2,257 in 2010.
• Because of Port Lions Airport's relatively low elevation of 52 feet, planes can take off or land at Port Lions 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.
• The closest airport to Port Lions Airport (ORI) is Port Bailey Seaplane Base (KPY), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) WNW of ORI.