Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Houston, Texas, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH), Houston, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,609 miles (or 7,417 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 David Wayne Hooks Memorial 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 David Wayne Hooks Memorial 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):

• In July 1973, Raytheon won a contract to build a system called COBRA DANE on Shemya.
• 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.
• Eareckson Air Station is a United States Air Force military airport located on the island of Shemya, in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands.
• 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.
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• 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.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• With the successful completion of the Aleutian Campaign in August 1943, Eleventh Air Force came within striking distance of the Japanese Kurile Islands, the northernmost being 750 miles to the south-southwest of Shemya.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• 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.

Facts about David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH):

• On June 26, 2010, another fire occurred at the airport, destroying another large hangar.
• The Airport started when Charles Hooks built a runway for his own personal use.
• Because of David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport's relatively low elevation of 152 feet, planes can take off or land at David Wayne Hooks Memorial 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.
• David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH) is George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) ESE of DWH.
• The furthest airport from David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,969 miles (17,653 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The airport also includes numerous flight schools, including Silver State Helicopters, American Flyers, ATP Flight School and United Flight Systems.
• The airport was also previously a local favorite for its diverse mix of aircraft and openness.
• On June 27, 2007, The Texas State Legislature approved Tomball's request to annex Hooks Airport even though the airport does not border the Tomball city limits.