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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD), Hyder, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,773 miles (or 4,463 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 Hyder Seaplane Base, 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 Hyder Seaplane Base. 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):

• On March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.
• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• 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.
• Jurisdiction of Shaw was again transferred to Tactical Air Command on 23 March 1946.
• 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 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.
• As a result of the end of the Cold War, the Air Force made several dramatic changes with the inactivation and re-designation of wings and their units.

Facts about Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD):

• Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 10,540 miles (16,962 kilometers) away in Port Alfred, South Africa.
• There are two floats for seaplanes, one along the shoreline and another within a protected cove with a concrete launch ramp.
• Hyder Seaplane Base is a state owned, public use seaplane base located one nautical mile southeast of the central business district of Hyder, a community in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area of the U.S.
• The closest airport to Hyder Seaplane Base (WHD) is Stewart Aerodrome (ZST), which is located only 2 miles (4 kilometers) NNE of WHD.
• Because of Hyder Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Hyder Seaplane Base 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.
• In addition to being known as "Hyder Seaplane Base", another name for WHD is "4Z7".