Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Gounda, Central African Republic:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SYA to GDA:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- SYA Airport Information
- GDA Airport Information
- Facts about SYA
- Facts about GDA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SYA
- List of Nearest Airports to SYA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SYA
- List of Furthest Airports from SYA
- Map of Nearest Airports to GDA
- List of Nearest Airports to GDA
- Map of Furthest Airports from GDA
- List of Furthest Airports from GDA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Gordil Airport (GDA), Gounda, Central African Republic would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,865 miles (or 12,658 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 Gordil 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 Gordil Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SYA / PASY |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Shemya, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 52°42'43"N by 174°6'48"E |
| Operator/Owner: | U.S. Air Force |
| Airport Type: | Military |
| Elevation: | 97 feet (30 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SYA |
| More Information: | SYA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GDA / |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Gounda, Central African Republic |
| GPS Coordinates: | 9°16'18"N by 21°11'43"E |
| Area Served: | Gordil |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GDA |
| More Information: | GDA Maps & Info |
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- 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.
- After the disastrous attack, the focus of Eleventh Air Force was shifted to a defensive posture in the event of retaliatory attacks from the Japanese.
- 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 404th Bombardment Squadron flew B-24 Liberator heavy bombers along with one Beechcraft AT-7, which was used for navigator training.
- In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and " ".
- In 1966 the Air Defense Command 9th Air Division assumed jurisdiction of the base.
- 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.
- With the exception of a small station housekeeping unit, Shemya was abandoned after the war.
- 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.
Facts about Gordil Airport (GDA):
- Gordil Airport (GDA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Gordil Airport (GDA) is Gordil Airport (GDI), which is located 43 miles (68 kilometers) ENE of GDA.
- The furthest airport from Gordil Airport (GDA) is Manihiki Island Airport (MHX), which is nearly antipodal to Gordil Airport (meaning Gordil Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Manihiki Island Airport), and is located 12,269 miles (19,745 kilometers) away in Manihiki Island, Cook Islands.
- In addition to being known as "Gordil Airport", another name for GDA is "Gordil Airport (Gordil)".
