Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA), João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,888 miles (or 14,304 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 Presidente Castro Pinto International 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 Presidente Castro Pinto International 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 28 May 1943, a small detachment of Alaskan Scouts began reconnaissance of Shemya, a small, flat, uninhabited island 35 miles to the east of Attu.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• 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.
• A second attack by B-24 Liberators was launched from Alexai Point and Shemya on 18 July.
• 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.
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station.
• The station was also used by SAC Cobra Ball and other related projects which monitored missile-associated signals and tracks missiles during boost and re-entry phases to provide reconnaissance for treaty verification and theater ballistic missile proliferation.
• 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 closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.

Facts about Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA):

• The furthest airport from Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA) is Falalop Airfield (ULI), which is nearly antipodal to Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (meaning Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Falalop Airfield), and is located 12,026 miles (19,354 kilometers) away in Falalop Island, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia.
• Between 1980 and 1981 Infraero conducted major renovations and enlargements of the runway, taxiways and apron.
• The closest airport to Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA) is Presidente João Suassuna Airport (CPV), which is located 65 miles (105 kilometers) W of JPA.
• The airport was officially opened on August 20, 1957 and since February 1, 1979 it is administrated by Infraero.
• Because of Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport's relatively low elevation of 215 feet, planes can take off or land at Presidente Castro Pinto International 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.
• Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport handled 1,230,230 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport", another name for JPA is "Aeroporto Internacional Presidente Castro Pinto".