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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Soldotna Airport (SXQ), Soldotna, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,560 miles (or 5,729 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 Soldotna 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 Soldotna 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):

• 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.
• On March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• Shaw Army Airfield was designated a permanent Army Air Forces instantiation after the war, being transferred to Continental Air Forces on 16 April 1945.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• On 25 June 1953, the 66th TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to Sembach Air Base, West Germany.
• 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.

Facts about Soldotna Airport (SXQ):

• The closest airport to Soldotna Airport (SXQ) is Kenai Municipal Airport (ENA), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) NW of SXQ.
• The airport covers an area of 426 acres at an elevation of 113 feet above mean sea level.
• The airport is located along the south bank of the Kenai River in the southeastern corner of Soldotna city limits, and also adjoins the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
• The furthest airport from Soldotna Airport (SXQ) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,600 miles (17,059 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Because of Soldotna Airport's relatively low elevation of 113 feet, planes can take off or land at Soldotna 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.
• On July 7, 2013, an air taxi crashed, killing all ten people on board.
• Soldotna Airport is a city-owned, public use airport located one nautical mile southeast of the central business district of Soldotna, Alaska.
• Soldotna Airport (SXQ) currently has only 1 runway.