Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SYA to IKB:
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- About this route
- SYA Airport Information
- IKB Airport Information
- Facts about SYA
- Facts about IKB
- Map of Nearest Airports to SYA
- List of Nearest Airports to SYA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SYA
- List of Furthest Airports from SYA
- Map of Nearest Airports to IKB
- List of Nearest Airports to IKB
- Map of Furthest Airports from IKB
- List of Furthest Airports from IKB
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Wilkes County Airport (IKB), North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,822 miles (or 7,761 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 Eareckson Air Station and Wilkes County 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 Eareckson Air Station and Wilkes County Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SYA / PASY |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Shemya, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 52°42'43"N by 174°6'48"E |
Operator/Owner: | U.S. Air Force |
Airport Type: | Military |
Elevation: | 97 feet (30 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SYA |
More Information: | SYA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | IKB / KUKF |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 36°13'22"N by 81°5'53"W |
Area Served: | North Wilkesboro, North Carolina |
Operator/Owner: | Wilkes County |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 1301 feet (397 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from IKB |
More Information: | IKB Maps & Info |
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- On 1 April 1995, Eareckson AS was converted to contractor operations and maintenance, providing all support on the island.
- Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
- In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and " ".
- The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.
- The mission of Eleventh Air Force was to take advantage of the new airfields on Shemya and Attu, and carry out offensive operations against the enemy forces in the Kuriles.
- Additional aircraft and personnel reductions occurred in 1945 and almost all air bases other than Alexi Point, Shemya and Davis in the Aleutians were reduced to caretaker status.
- After the disastrous attack, the focus of Eleventh Air Force was shifted to a defensive posture in the event of retaliatory attacks from the Japanese.
- 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.
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- In August, after the Soviet Union declared war against the Japanese Empire, B-24s were dispatched on reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions to observe the Russian activity in the Kuriles.
- Eareckson Air Station is located on the western tip of Alaska's Aleutian islands near the larger island of Attu, and is located approximately 1500 miles southwest of Anchorage.
- 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.
Facts about Wilkes County Airport (IKB):
- The furthest airport from Wilkes County Airport (IKB) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,508 miles (18,521 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to Wilkes County Airport (IKB) is Hickory Regional Airport (HKY), which is located 37 miles (60 kilometers) SSW of IKB.
- In addition to being known as "Wilkes County Airport", another name for IKB is "UKF".
- Wilkes County Airport (IKB) currently has only 1 runway.