Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Boulsa, Burkina Faso:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Boulsa Airport (XBO), Boulsa, Burkina Faso would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,160 miles (or 8,303 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 Boulsa 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 Boulsa 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):

• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.
• 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.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• Jurisdiction of Shaw was again transferred to Tactical Air Command on 23 March 1946.
• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
• Shaw AFB is home base of the USAF 20th Fighter Wing, which flies F-16CJ Fighting Falcons.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.

Facts about Boulsa Airport (XBO):

• Boulsa Airport (XBO) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Boulsa Airport (XBO) is Bogandé Airport (XBG), which is located 35 miles (57 kilometers) NE of XBO.
• In addition to being known as "Boulsa Airport", another name for XBO is "Boulsa Airport (Boulsa)".
• The furthest airport from Boulsa Airport (XBO) is Aéroport de Futuna - Pointe-Vele Pointe Vele Airport (FUT), which is nearly antipodal to Boulsa Airport (meaning Boulsa Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aéroport de Futuna - Pointe-Vele Pointe Vele Airport), and is located 12,234 miles (19,688 kilometers) away in Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna Islands.
• Because of Boulsa Airport's relatively low elevation of 984 feet, planes can take off or land at Boulsa 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.