Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Savannakhet, Laos:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Savannakhet Airport (ZVK), Savannakhet, Laos would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,929 miles (or 14,369 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 Savannakhet 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 Savannakhet 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):

• As a result of the August 1992 destruction of Homestead AFB Florida by Hurricane Andrew in September 1992, the 31st Fighter Wing's 309th Fighter Squadron was initially evacuated to Shaw AFB prior to the hurricane making landfall.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of 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.
• The 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.
• After the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate military branch in September 1947, Shaw Army Airfield was renamed Shaw Air Force Base, on 13 January 1948 and the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated on 15 August 1947 with the implementation of the Hobson Plan.
• 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.

Facts about Savannakhet Airport (ZVK):

• The furthest airport from Savannakhet Airport (ZVK) is Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC), which is nearly antipodal to Savannakhet Airport (meaning Savannakhet Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maria Reiche Neuman Airport), and is located 12,318 miles (19,823 kilometers) away in Nazca, Ica Region, Peru.
• Because of Savannakhet Airport's relatively low elevation of 509 feet, planes can take off or land at Savannakhet 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.
• In addition to being known as "Savannakhet Airport", another name for ZVK is "ສະຫນາມບິນສະຫວັນນະເຂດ".
• The closest airport to Savannakhet Airport (ZVK) is Nakhon Phanom Airport (KOP), which is located 58 miles (93 kilometers) N of ZVK.
• Savannakhet Airport (ZVK) currently has only 1 runway.