Nonstop flight route between Saül, French Guiana and Sumter, South Carolina, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from XAU to SSC:
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- About this route
- XAU Airport Information
- SSC Airport Information
- Facts about XAU
- Facts about SSC
- Map of Nearest Airports to XAU
- List of Nearest Airports to XAU
- Map of Furthest Airports from XAU
- List of Furthest Airports from XAU
- Map of Nearest Airports to SSC
- List of Nearest Airports to SSC
- Map of Furthest Airports from SSC
- List of Furthest Airports from SSC
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Saül Airport (XAU), Saül, French Guiana and Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,734 miles (or 4,400 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 Saül 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 Saül 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:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | XAU / SOOS |
Airport Name: | Saül Airport |
Location: | Saül, French Guiana |
GPS Coordinates: | 3°36'48"N by 53°12'15"W |
Area Served: | Saül, French Guiana |
Operator/Owner: | Conseil Général de la Guyane |
Elevation: | 735 feet (224 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from XAU |
More Information: | XAU Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SSC / KSSC |
Airport Name: | Shaw Air Force Base |
Location: | Sumter, South Carolina, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°58'23"N by 80°28'22"W |
View all routes: | Routes from SSC |
More Information: | SSC Maps & Info |
Facts about Saül Airport (XAU):
- Because of Saül Airport's relatively low elevation of 735 feet, planes can take off or land at Saül 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.
- The closest airport to Saül Airport (XAU) is Maripasoula Airport (MPY), which is located 58 miles (93 kilometers) W of XAU.
- The furthest airport from Saül Airport (XAU) is Namrole Airport (NRE), which is nearly antipodal to Saül Airport (meaning Saül Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Namrole Airport), and is located 12,419 miles (19,986 kilometers) away in Buru, Indonesia.
- Saül Airport (XAU) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):
- Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
- 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.
- 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 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.