Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Jacksons International Airport (POM), Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,980 miles (or 14,451 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 Jacksons International 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 Jacksons International 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 20th FG was reassigned to Langley AFB, Virginia on 1 December 1951 in preparation for a permanent overseas deployment to RAF Wethersfield, England to support NATO.
• For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a prisoner-of-war camp.
• 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 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 March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.

Facts about Jacksons International Airport (POM):

• The furthest airport from Jacksons International Airport (POM) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,762 miles (18,929 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
• The closest airport to Jacksons International Airport (POM) is Haelogo Airport (HEO), which is located 33 miles (54 kilometers) NE of POM.
• Jacksons International Airport (POM) has 2 runways.
• Air Niugini has its head office in the Air Niugini House, on the airport property.
• Because of Jacksons International Airport's relatively low elevation of 124 feet, planes can take off or land at Jacksons International 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.