Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Vijayawada Airport (VGA), Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,456 miles (or 8,780 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 Vijayawada 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 Vijayawada 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• By August, Eleventh Air Force B-24s were carrying out successful and accurate attacks on the Japanese military installations and the B-25s were successful in driving the Japanese fishing and much of the shipping out of the North Pacific.
• 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 404th Bombardment Squadron flew B-24 Liberator heavy bombers along with one Beechcraft AT-7, which was used for navigator training.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• 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.
• Jurisdiction of Shemya AFB was transferred from the Aerospace Defense Command to the Strategic Air Command when the former was inactivated on 1 October 1979.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Vijayawada Airport (VGA):

• Because of Vijayawada Airport's relatively low elevation of 82 feet, planes can take off or land at Vijayawada 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.
• The airport, which had only Kingfisher Airline operating two flights - one each to Hyderabad and Bangalore previously, now has six flights a day taking off to various destinations.
• The airfield served as an army base during the World War II and at that time only defense airlines were the one taking flights from here.
• The closest airport to Vijayawada Airport (VGA) is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD), which is located 156 miles (251 kilometers) WNW of VGA.
• In addition to being known as "Vijayawada Airport", other names for VGA include "Gannavaram Airport" and "VOBZ".
• The furthest airport from Vijayawada Airport (VGA) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is located 11,459 miles (18,441 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
• Vijayawada Airport (VGA) currently has only 1 runway.