Nonstop flight route between Virac, Catanduanes, Philippines and Sumter, South Carolina, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Virac Airport (VRC), Virac, Catanduanes, Philippines and Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,772 miles (or 14,118 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 Virac Airport 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 Virac Airport 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 Virac Airport (VRC):

• The furthest airport from Virac Airport (VRC) is Marechal Rondon International Airport (CGB), which is nearly antipodal to Virac Airport (meaning Virac Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Marechal Rondon International Airport), and is located 12,292 miles (19,782 kilometers) away in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
• Virac Airport handled 30,002 passengers last year.
• Virac Airport (VRC) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Virac Airport's relatively low elevation of 121 feet, planes can take off or land at Virac 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 "Virac Airport", another name for VRC is "Paliparan ng ViracPalayogan nin Virac".
• The closest airport to Virac Airport (VRC) is Legazpi Airport (LGP), which is located 42 miles (68 kilometers) SW of VRC.

Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):

• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is one of only two air bases in CONUS with an active railroad line.
• 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.
• In addition to the 363d TRW, Headquarters Ninth Air Force was transferred to Shaw from Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina on 1 September 1954.
• Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
• On 1 April 1945 jurisdiction of Shaw Field was transferred to First Air Force.
• The 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.