Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Mokhotlong, Lesotho:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Mokhotlong Airport (MKH), Mokhotlong, Lesotho would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,362 miles (or 13,457 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 Mokhotlong 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 Mokhotlong Airport. 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 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.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• On 1 April 1945 jurisdiction of Shaw Field was transferred to First Air Force.
• Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants.
• The 363d TFW received its first F-16 on 26 March 1982.
• 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.
• Jurisdiction of Shaw was again transferred to Tactical Air Command on 23 March 1946.
• 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.

Facts about Mokhotlong Airport (MKH):

• Because of Mokhotlong Airport's high elevation of 7,200 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at MKH. Combined with a high temperature, this could make MKH a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The closest airport to Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) is Lebakeng Airport (LEF), which is located 49 miles (79 kilometers) SSW of MKH.
• The furthest airport from Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,770 miles (18,942 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) has 2 runways.