Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Guantánamo, Cuba:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SSC to GAO:
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- About this route
- SSC Airport Information
- GAO Airport Information
- Facts about SSC
- Facts about GAO
- 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 GAO
- List of Nearest Airports to GAO
- Map of Furthest Airports from GAO
- List of Furthest Airports from GAO
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Mariana Grajales Airport (GAO), Guantánamo, Cuba would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,013 miles (or 1,631 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 relatively short distance between Shaw Air Force Base and Mariana Grajales Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | GAO / MUGT |
Airport Name: | Mariana Grajales Airport |
Location: | Guantánamo, Cuba |
GPS Coordinates: | 20°5'7"N by 75°9'29"W |
Area Served: | Guantánamo, Cuba |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 56 feet (17 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from GAO |
More Information: | GAO Maps & Info |
Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):
- After the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate military branch in September 1947, Shaw Army Airfield was renamed Shaw Air Force Base, on 13 January 1948 and the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated on 15 August 1947 with the implementation of the Hobson Plan.
- By 1980, the advent of reconnaissance satellites made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary.
- Shaw Air Force Base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw.
- Over the next four decades, the squadrons under the 363d TRW changed frequently.
- On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
- The 20th Fighter Group was first equipped with North American P-51D, then exchanged its P-51's in February 1948 for F-84B Thunderjets, the first TAC group to receive operational F-84s.
- 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.
- Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
Facts about Mariana Grajales Airport (GAO):
- Mariana Grajales Airport (GAO) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Mariana Grajales Airport's relatively low elevation of 56 feet, planes can take off or land at Mariana Grajales 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 Mariana Grajales Airport (GAO) is United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NBW), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) S of GAO.
- The furthest airport from Mariana Grajales Airport (GAO) is RAAF Learmonth (LEA), which is located 11,823 miles (19,027 kilometers) away in Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia.