Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Mo i Rana, Norway:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll (MQN), Mo i Rana, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,142 miles (or 6,665 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 Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll, 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 Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll. 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 aerial photos taken on the raid showed the Japanese were building up forces in the area, transferring aircraft presumably from air bases on Hokkaido.
• The spring of 1944 brought improving weather and the B-24s and PV-1s to fly more missions over the Kuriles.
• 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 Korean War brought extensive use by the Military Air Transport Service for the logistical support of Korea and Japan.
• 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.
• In 1966 the Air Defense Command 9th Air Division assumed jurisdiction of the base.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll (MQN):

• The furthest airport from Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll (MQN) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,827 miles (17,424 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The airport is located in Røssvoll about 20 minutes north-east of the town along the E6.
• Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll (MQN) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll (MQN) is Hemavan Tärnaby Airport (HMV), which is located 44 miles (71 kilometers) SSE of MQN.
• Because of Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll's relatively low elevation of 229 feet, planes can take off or land at Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll 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 "Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll", another name for MQN is "Mo i Rana lufthavn, Røssvoll".
• Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll handled 96,936 passengers last year.