Nonstop flight route between Tirana, Albania and Sumter, South Carolina, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA), Tirana, Albania and Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,179 miles (or 8,335 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 Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa and Shaw Air Force Base, 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 Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa and Shaw Air Force Base. 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 Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA):

• The closest airport to Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA) is Ohrid Airport (OHD), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) ESE of TIA.
• The air traffic equipment and facilities of the airport have been heavily modernised following investments by Tirana International Airport SHPK, a consortium led by Hochtief AirPort.
• The furthest airport from Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,599 miles (18,667 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa's relatively low elevation of 108 feet, planes can take off or land at Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa 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 "Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa", another name for TIA is "Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar i Tiranës Nënë Tereza".
• Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza was constructed in a period of two years, from 1955 to 1957.
• Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa handled 1,665,331 passengers last year.
• After the fall of communism political and social changes caused an increase in the number of airlines operating at the airport.

Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):

• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
• Jurisdiction of Shaw was again transferred to Tactical Air Command on 23 March 1946.
• The 20th FG was reassigned to Langley AFB, Virginia on 1 December 1951 in preparation for a permanent overseas deployment to RAF Wethersfield, England to support NATO.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• Over the next four decades, the squadrons under the 363d TRW changed frequently.
• As a result of the August 1992 destruction of Homestead AFB Florida by Hurricane Andrew in September 1992, the 31st Fighter Wing's 309th Fighter Squadron was initially evacuated to Shaw AFB prior to the hurricane making landfall.
• The furthest airport from Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,545 miles (18,580 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• After the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate military branch in September 1947, Shaw Army Airfield was renamed Shaw Air Force Base, on 13 January 1948 and the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated on 15 August 1947 with the implementation of the Hobson Plan.