Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Perpignan, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF), Perpignan, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,371 miles (or 7,035 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 Perpignan – Rivesaltes 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 Perpignan – Rivesaltes 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):

• 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 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 closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• Over the next four decades, the squadrons under the 363d TRW changed frequently.
• Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.
• Shaw AFB is home base of the USAF 20th Fighter Wing, which flies F-16CJ Fighting Falcons.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF):

• Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF) has 2 runways.
• Because of Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport's relatively low elevation of 144 feet, planes can take off or land at Perpignan – Rivesaltes 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 furthest airport from Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (meaning Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,356 miles (19,884 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport (PGF) is Carcassonne Airport (CCF), which is located 43 miles (70 kilometers) NW of PGF.
• In addition to being known as "Perpignan – Rivesaltes Airport", another name for PGF is "Aéroport de Perpignan – Rivesaltes".