Nonstop flight route between Waingapu, Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (WGP), Waingapu, Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,344 miles (or 8,601 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 Umbu Mehang Kunda 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 Umbu Mehang Kunda 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 Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (WGP):

• In addition to being known as "Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport", other names for WGP include "Bandar Udara Umbu Mehang Kunda" and "Mau Hau".
• The furthest airport from Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (WGP) is A.N.R. Robinson International Airport (TAB), which is nearly antipodal to Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (meaning Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from A.N.R. Robinson International Airport), and is located 12,309 miles (19,809 kilometers) away in Scarborough, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago.
• Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (WGP) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (WGP) is Bajawa Soa Airport (BJW), which is located 84 miles (135 kilometers) NE of WGP.
• Because of Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at Umbu Mehang Kunda 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.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• The 404th Bombardment Squadron flew B-24 Liberator heavy bombers along with one Beechcraft AT-7, which was used for navigator training.
• The Korean War brought extensive use by the Military Air Transport Service for the logistical support of Korea and Japan.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• 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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• There is also an NDB, TACAN and a VOR on the island.
• The base host squadron was re-designated the 5073rd Air Base Squadron on October 1962, and upgraded to a group on 15 October 1974 in recognition of the number and complexities of the tenant units it supported.
• Shemya has been the scene of two major earthquakes.