Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Phalaborwa, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
(33°58'23"N by 80°28'22"W)
Arrival Airport:
(23°56'12"S by 31°9'18"E)
Distance from SSC to PHW:
8,319.11 miles (13,388.27 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- SSC Airport Information
- PHW Airport Information
- Facts about SSC
- Facts about PHW
- Map of Nearest Airports to SSC
- List of Nearest Airports to SSC
- Map of Furthest Airports from SSC
- List of Furthest Airports from SSC
- Map of Nearest Airports to PHW
- List of Nearest Airports to PHW
- Map of Furthest Airports from PHW
- List of Furthest Airports from PHW
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW), Phalaborwa, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,319 miles (or 13,388 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 Hendrik Van Eck 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 Hendrik Van Eck Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SSC / KSSC |
| Airport Name: | Shaw Air Force Base |
| Location: | Sumter, South Carolina, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 33°58'23"N by 80°28'22"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from SSC |
| More Information: | SSC Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | PHW / FAPH |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Phalaborwa, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 23°56'12"S by 31°9'18"E |
| Area Served: | Phalaborwa, South Africa |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 1432 feet (436 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from PHW |
| More Information: | PHW Maps & Info |
Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):
- 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.
- 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.
- By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
- In October 1942, the flight training was changed to Advanced flying training and AT-6 Texan single-engine and Beech AT-10 twin-engine trainers were used.
Facts about Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW):
- Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW) is Air Force Base Hoedspruit (HDS), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) SSW of PHW.
- In addition to being known as "Hendrik Van Eck Airport", another name for PHW is "Phalaborwa Airport".
- The furthest airport from Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is located 11,944 miles (19,222 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 6.56 miles (10.56 km) ENE | Sumter Airport (SUM) | Sumter, South Carolina, United States |     |
| 2 | 19.16 miles (30.84 km) W | McEntire Joint National Guard Base Marine Corps Auxiliary Airfield CongareeCongaree Army Airfield (MMT) | Eastover, South Carolina, United States | |
| 3 | 22.10 miles (35.56 km) NNW | Woodward Field (CDN) | Camden, South Carolina, United States | |
| 4 | 29.94 miles (48.18 km) W | Jim Hamilton - L.B. Owens Airport (CUB) | Columbia, South Carolina, United States | |
| 5 | 35.93 miles (57.83 km) NE | Hartsville Regional Airport (HVS) | Hartsville, South Carolina, United States | |
| 6 | 37.14 miles (59.76 km) W | Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) | West Columbia (near Columbia), South Carolina, United States | |
| 7 | 42.02 miles (67.62 km) SSW | Orangeburg Municipal Airport (OGB) | Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States | |
| 8 | 45.30 miles (72.90 km) ENE | Florence Regional Airport (FLO) | Florence, South Carolina, United States | |
| 9 | 58.98 miles (94.91 km) NNE | Cheraw Municipal Airport (HCW) | Cheraw, South Carolina, United States | |
| 10 | 61.52 miles (99.00 km) NE | Marlboro County Jetport (BTN) | Bennettsville, South Carolina, United States | |
| 11 | 65.25 miles (105.02 km) ESE | Robert F. Swinnie Airport (ADR) | Andrews, South Carolina, United States | |
| 12 | 71.15 miles (114.51 km) ENE | Dillon County Airport (DLL) | Dillon, South Carolina, United States | |
| 13 | 72.21 miles (116.21 km) SW | Barnwell Regional Airport (BNL) | Barnwell, South Carolina, United States | |
| 14 | 73.09 miles (117.63 km) WSW | Aiken Municipal Airport (AIK) | Aiken, South Carolina, United States | |
| 15 | 73.32 miles (118.00 km) S | Lowcountry Regional Airport (RBW) | Walterboro, South Carolina, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,545.12 miles (18,580.03 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,526.46 miles (18,549.99 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,508.26 miles (18,520.70 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,499.92 miles (18,507.29 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,494.70 miles (18,498.88 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,487.36 miles (18,487.07 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,481.75 miles (18,478.04 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,474.49 miles (18,466.35 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,473.86 miles (18,465.34 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,462.29 miles (18,446.72 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,428.78 miles (18,392.80 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,419.93 miles (18,378.55 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,412.96 miles (18,367.34 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,397.61 miles (18,342.63 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,394.58 miles (18,337.76 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 29.63 miles (47.68 km) SSW | Air Force Base Hoedspruit (HDS) | Hoedspruit, South Africa | |
| 2 | 65.65 miles (105.65 km) SSE | Mala Mala Airport (AAM) | Mala Mala, South Africa | |
| 3 | 100.00 miles (160.94 km) S | Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) | Nelspruit, South Africa | |
| 4 | 107.35 miles (172.77 km) W | Polokwane International Airport (PTG) | Polokwane, South Africa | |
| 5 | 163.34 miles (262.87 km) SSE | Maputo International Airport (MPM) | Maputo, Mozambique | |
| 6 | 179.36 miles (288.65 km) S | Matsapha Airport (MTS) | Manzini, Swaziland | |
| 7 | 204.15 miles (328.54 km) N | Buffalo Range Airport (BFO) | Chiredzi, Zimbabwe | |
| 8 | 218.77 miles (352.08 km) WSW | Wonderboom Airport (PRY) | Pretoria, South Africa | |
| 9 | 236.04 miles (379.87 km) SW | Grand Central Airport (GCJ) | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| 10 | 237.30 miles (381.89 km) SW | O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) | Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 11 | 245.04 miles (394.36 km) SW | Lanseria International Airport (HLA) | Lanseria, South Africa | |
| 12 | 246.38 miles (396.51 km) SW | Rand Airport (QRA) | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| 13 | 247.78 miles (398.76 km) SW | Heidelberg Airport (HDB) | Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | |
| 14 | 268.03 miles (431.35 km) WSW | Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY) | Pilanesberg, South Africa | |
| 15 | 268.70 miles (432.43 km) E | Inhambane Airport (INH) | Inhambane, Mozambique | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,943.80 miles (19,221.63 km) NE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,930.01 miles (19,199.44 km) ENE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,922.09 miles (19,186.69 km) ENE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,921.16 miles (19,185.21 km) ENE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,913.28 miles (19,172.52 km) ENE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,908.90 miles (19,165.47 km) ENE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,896.48 miles (19,145.47 km) ENE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,891.63 miles (19,137.67 km) ENE | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,885.19 miles (19,127.31 km) ENE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,876.35 miles (19,113.09 km) ENE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,875.07 miles (19,111.02 km) ENE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,830.44 miles (19,039.20 km) ENE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,830.44 miles (19,039.20 km) ENE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,826.92 miles (19,033.54 km) ENE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,821.19 miles (19,024.31 km) ENE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |