Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Lilongwe, Malawi:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu International Airport (LLW), Lilongwe, Malawi would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,981 miles (or 14,453 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 Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu 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 Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu 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):

• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• The spring of 1944 brought improving weather and the B-24s and PV-1s to fly more missions over the Kuriles.
• 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 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.
• The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.
• 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.
• On 10 July 1943, eight B-25 Mitchells from the 77th Bombardment Squadron left Adak AAF and refueled at Alexai Point AAF on Attu.
• 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.
• In 1958, the Air Force resumed operations on Shemya in support of various Air Force and Army strategic intelligence collection activities.
• On 27 January 1992 the 5073rd Air Base Group located at Shemya AFB was re-designated as the Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force 673d Air Base Group.

Facts about Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu International Airport (LLW):

• Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu International Airport (LLW) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu International Airport (LLW) is Salima Airport (LMB), which is located 54 miles (87 kilometers) E of LLW.
• Because of Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu International Airport's high elevation of 4,035 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at LLW. Combined with a high temperature, this could make LLW a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu International Airport handled 296,190 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu International Airport (LLW) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is located 11,724 miles (18,867 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.