Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Johannesburg, South Africa:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from SUM to QRA:
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- About this route
- SUM Airport Information
- QRA Airport Information
- Facts about SUM
- Facts about QRA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SUM
- List of Nearest Airports to SUM
- Map of Furthest Airports from SUM
- List of Furthest Airports from SUM
- Map of Nearest Airports to QRA
- List of Nearest Airports to QRA
- Map of Furthest Airports from QRA
- List of Furthest Airports from QRA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Sumter Airport (SUM), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Rand Airport (QRA), Johannesburg, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,215 miles (or 13,221 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 Sumter Airport and Rand 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 Sumter Airport and Rand Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SUM / KSMS |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Sumter, South Carolina, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°59'41"N by 80°21'41"W |
Area Served: | Sumter, South Carolina |
Operator/Owner: | City & County of Sumter |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 182 feet (55 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from SUM |
More Information: | SUM Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | QRA / FAGM |
Airport Name: | Rand Airport |
Location: | Johannesburg, South Africa |
GPS Coordinates: | 26°14'32"S by 28°9'3"E |
Operator/Owner: | Rand Airport Management Company (Pty) Ltd. |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 5482 feet (1,671 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from QRA |
More Information: | QRA Maps & Info |
Facts about Sumter Airport (SUM):
- In addition to being known as "Sumter Airport", another name for SUM is "SMS".
- The closest airport to Sumter Airport (SUM) is Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) WSW of SUM.
- The furthest airport from Sumter Airport (SUM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,552 miles (18,590 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Because of Sumter Airport's relatively low elevation of 182 feet, planes can take off or land at Sumter 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.
- Sumter Airport (SUM) has 2 runways.
Facts about Rand Airport (QRA):
- The following navigational aids are installed for non precision instrument approaches at this airport.
- Rand Airport (QRA) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Rand Airport (QRA) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,977 miles (19,275 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
- Boeing 747SP at the South African Airways Museum Society situated near the threshold of Runway 29.
- Because of Rand Airport's high elevation of 5,482 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at QRA. Combined with a high temperature, this could make QRA a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- Today, the airport hosts air charter operators, flying schools and a number of aircraft maintenance organizations, as well as pilot shops, car hire and other aviation-related enterprises.
- The closest airport to Rand Airport (QRA) is O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) NE of QRA.