Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Le Puy-en-Velay / Loudes, Haute-Loire, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Le Puy - Loudes Airport (LPY), Le Puy-en-Velay / Loudes, Haute-Loire, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,656 miles (or 9,102 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 Le Puy - Loudes 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 Le Puy - Loudes 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 10 July 1943, eight B-25 Mitchells from the 77th Bombardment Squadron left Adak AAF and refueled at Alexai Point AAF on Attu.
• 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 addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 news of the surrender of the Japanese was met with enthusiasm, the biggest topic was "When do we go home?".
• 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 Le Puy - Loudes Airport (LPY):

• The closest airport to Le Puy - Loudes Airport (LPY) is Saint-Étienne–Bouthéon Airport (EBU), which is located 41 miles (66 kilometers) NE of LPY.
• Le Puy - Loudes Airport (LPY) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Le Puy - Loudes Airport (LPY) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Le Puy - Loudes Airport (meaning Le Puy - Loudes Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,348 miles (19,873 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In addition to being known as "Le Puy - Loudes Airport", another name for LPY is "Aéroport de Le Puy-en-Velay - Loudes".