Nonstop flight route between Palm Springs, California, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM), Palm Springs, California, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,594 miles (or 5,784 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 Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport and Eareckson Air Station, 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 Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport and Eareckson Air Station. 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 Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM):

• Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport covers an area of 1,850 acres at an elevation of 115 feet below mean sea level.
• Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM) has 2 runways.
• The War Assets Administration turned the military airfield to civil control during 1947 and 1948.
• Phased down in 1944 after most Army units had deployed overseas to combat areas, Thermal had been inactive for six months when the United States Navy requested permission to occupy the base on December 2, 1944 with the stipulation that the Army could reoccupy with 30-days notice.
• Because of Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of -115 feet, planes can take off or land at Jacqueline Cochran Regional 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.
• In addition to being known as "Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport", another name for TRM is "(former Thermal Army Air Field)".
• The Navy closed Thermal on November 1, 1945, returning the field to the Army two months later.
• Initially known as Naval Air Bases Detachment Thermal, the base's facilities were in rather poor condition.
• The facility hosts an air show in late November, showcasing both full-scale aircraft and radio controlled models as flown by members of the Coachella Valley Radio Control Club.
• The closest airport to Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM) is Bermuda Dunes Airport (UDD), which is located only 11 miles (17 kilometers) NW of TRM.
• The furthest airport from Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,478 miles (18,472 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• In July 1973, Raytheon won a contract to build a system called COBRA DANE on Shemya.
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out 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 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 "  ".
• 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.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• With the exception of a small station housekeeping unit, Shemya was abandoned after the war.
• 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.