Nonstop flight route between Narsarsuaq, Greenland and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Narsarsuaq Airport (UAK), Narsarsuaq, Greenland and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,274 miles (or 6,879 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 Narsarsuaq 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 Narsarsuaq 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 Narsarsuaq Airport (UAK):

• On 21 September 1977, Douglas C-47 N723A of NJ Airlines crashed at Narsarsuaq Airport.
• Because of Narsarsuaq Airport's relatively low elevation of 112 feet, planes can take off or land at Narsarsuaq 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.
• A military hospital with 250 beds was completed in 1943.
• In addition to being known as "Narsarsuaq Airport", other names for UAK include "Mittarfik Narsarsuaq" and "Narsarsuaq Lufthavn".
• In the terminal there is a large cafeteria, a duty-free 'Nanoq' shop, as well as a small tourist office, which helps coordinate general aviation activities at the airport.
• The new route was closed before the first flights could commence, adding to resentment amongst businesses and the community of South Greenland.
• Narsarsuaq Airport handled 26,284 passengers last year.
• The closest airport to Narsarsuaq Airport (UAK) is Igaliku Heliport (QFX), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) S of UAK.
• The airport served as a regional focus city for Air Greenland until the late 2000s, when tough economic conditions forced the airline to raise the low season prices several times.
• The furthest airport from Narsarsuaq Airport (UAK) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 11,062 miles (17,803 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• Narsarsuaq Airport (UAK) currently has only 1 runway.
• With the Boeing airliner sold on 26 April 2010, the entire Kujalleq municipality, and southern Greenland in general remains without prospects for a direct connection to Copenhagen.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• 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.
• By the end of 1944, several hundred American airmen had been interned by the Russians after their crippled aircraft landed on Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• On 10 July 1943, eight B-25 Mitchells from the 77th Bombardment Squadron left Adak AAF and refueled at Alexai Point AAF on Attu.
• There is also an NDB, TACAN and a VOR on the island.
• 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.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• It also became a Strategic Air Command refueling site for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and KC-135 tankers as part of Operation Chrome Dome.
• 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.