Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Chiayi, Taiwan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI), Chiayi, Taiwan would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,440 miles (or 5,537 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 Eareckson Air Station and Chiayi Airport (Shueishang 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 Eareckson Air Station and Chiayi Airport (Shueishang 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 Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• On 10 July 1943, eight B-25 Mitchells from the 77th Bombardment Squadron left Adak AAF and refueled at Alexai Point AAF on Attu.
• In July 1973, Raytheon won a contract to build a system called COBRA DANE on Shemya.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• The closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
• The aerial photos taken on the raid showed the Japanese were building up forces in the area, transferring aircraft presumably from air bases on Hokkaido.
• The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.
• Additional aircraft and personnel reductions occurred in 1945 and almost all air bases other than Alexi Point, Shemya and Davis in the Aleutians were reduced to caretaker status.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Eareckson Air Station's relatively low elevation of 97 feet, planes can take off or land at Eareckson Air Station 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.
• The mission of Eleventh Air Force was to take advantage of the new airfields on Shemya and Attu, and carry out offensive operations against the enemy forces in the Kuriles.
• In August, after the Soviet Union declared war against the Japanese Empire, B-24s were dispatched on reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions to observe the Russian activity in the Kuriles.
• The furthest airport from Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,668 miles (17,168 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.

Facts about Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI):

• The airport was opened on 1 January 1978.
• The furthest airport from Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI) is Dr. Luis María Argaña International Airport (ESG), which is nearly antipodal to Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (meaning Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Dr. Luis María Argaña International Airport), and is located 12,320 miles (19,827 kilometers) away in Mariscal Estigarribia, Paraguay.
• Because of Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport)'s relatively low elevation of 82 feet, planes can take off or land at Chiayi Airport (Shueishang 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.
• Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport)", other names for CYI include "嘉義航空站水上機場" and "Jiāyì HángkōngzhànShuǐshàng Jīchǎng".
• Chiayi Airport, commonly known as Shueishang Airport, is an airport in Chiayi County, Taiwan.
• The closest airport to Chiayi Airport (Shueishang Airport) (CYI) is Tainan Airport (TNN), which is located 37 miles (59 kilometers) SSW of CYI.
• A number of US Air Force units have been stationed at Chiayi Air Base, including the 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron from 27 January – 17 February 1955 and 1 July – 1 October 1955.