Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Kristiansund, Norway:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget (KSU), Kristiansund, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,400 miles (or 7,081 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 Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget, 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 Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget. 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):

• 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.
• In 1958, the Air Force resumed operations on Shemya in support of various Air Force and Army strategic intelligence collection activities.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 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.

Facts about Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget (KSU):

• The furthest airport from Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget (KSU) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,092 miles (17,851 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget's relatively low elevation of 204 feet, planes can take off or land at Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget 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 Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget (KSU) is Molde Airport, Årø (MOL), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) SW of KSU.
• Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget (KSU) currently has only 1 runway.
• Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget handled 359,968 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget", other names for KSU include "Kristiansund lufthavn, Kvernberget" and "Kristiansund/Kvernberget Airport".