Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (VNS), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,188 miles (or 13,177 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 Lal Bahadur Shastri 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 Lal Bahadur Shastri 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):

• 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.
• Shaw Air Force Base is a United States Military facility located approximately 8.4 miles west-northwest of Sumter, South Carolina.
• It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is one of only two air bases in CONUS with an active railroad line.
• The 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.
• 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 squadrons flew the P-61 Black Widow in Europe with Ninth Air Force during World War II, and were reassigned back to the United States after the end of hostilities.
• The group initially conducted training with two squadrons flying the Republic RF-84F "Thunderflash" and two squadrons Group, was a part of Strategic Air Command from July 1947 – May 1951, at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana as an Air Force Reserve corollary unit under the guidance of active duty units in order to train and maintain currency in reconnaissance operations for its reserve personnel.
• 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 Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (VNS):

• The closest airport to Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (VNS) is Allahabad Airport (IXD), which is located 70 miles (113 kilometers) W of VNS.
• Jet airways at Varanasi Airport
• Varanasi departure terminal
• Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (VNS) currently has only 1 runway.
• Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport or Varanasi Airport is a public airport located at Babatpur 18 km northwest of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• The furthest airport from Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (VNS) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is located 11,667 miles (18,777 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
• Because of Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport's relatively low elevation of 266 feet, planes can take off or land at Lal Bahadur Shastri 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.