Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Alexander Bay, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SSC to ALJ:
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- About this route
- SSC Airport Information
- ALJ Airport Information
- Facts about SSC
- Facts about ALJ
- Map of Nearest Airports to SSC
- List of Nearest Airports to SSC
- Map of Furthest Airports from SSC
- List of Furthest Airports from SSC
- Map of Nearest Airports to ALJ
- List of Nearest Airports to ALJ
- Map of Furthest Airports from ALJ
- List of Furthest Airports from ALJ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Alexander Bay Airport (ALJ), Alexander Bay, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,660 miles (or 12,327 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 Shaw Air Force Base and Alexander Bay Airport, 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 Shaw Air Force Base and Alexander Bay Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure 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 |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | ALJ / FAAB |
Airport Name: | Alexander Bay Airport |
Location: | Alexander Bay, South Africa |
GPS Coordinates: | 28°34'23"S by 16°32'3"E |
Area Served: | Alexander Bay, South Africa |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 98 feet (30 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from ALJ |
More Information: | ALJ Maps & Info |
Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):
- By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
- The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
- 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.
- On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
- On March 23, 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw.
- For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a prisoner-of-war camp.
Facts about Alexander Bay Airport (ALJ):
- Alexander Bay Airport (ALJ) has 3 runways.
- The closest airport to Alexander Bay Airport (ALJ) is Kleinsee Airport (KLZ), which is located 84 miles (135 kilometers) SSE of ALJ.
- The furthest airport from Alexander Bay Airport (ALJ) is Princeville Airport (HPV), which is located 11,931 miles (19,200 kilometers) away in Hanalei, Hawaii, United States.
- Because of Alexander Bay Airport's relatively low elevation of 98 feet, planes can take off or land at Alexander Bay 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.