Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Petrozavodsk, Russia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Petrozavodsk Airport (PES), Petrozavodsk, Russia would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,887 miles (or 7,865 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 Petrozavodsk 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 Petrozavodsk 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 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.
• After the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate military branch in September 1947, Shaw Army Airfield was renamed Shaw Air Force Base, on 13 January 1948 and the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated on 15 August 1947 with the implementation of the Hobson Plan.
• 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 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.
• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.

Facts about Petrozavodsk Airport (PES):

• In addition to being known as "Petrozavodsk Airport", other names for PES include "Petroskoin Lendoazema" and "Аэропорт Петрозаводск".
• The furthest airport from Petrozavodsk Airport (PES) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,681 miles (17,189 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Petrozavodsk Airport (PES) is Kitee Airfield (KTQ), which is located 134 miles (215 kilometers) W of PES.
• Petrozavodsk Airport (PES) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Petrozavodsk Airport's relatively low elevation of 151 feet, planes can take off or land at Petrozavodsk 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.