Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Manzini, Swaziland:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SYA to MTS:
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- About this route
- SYA Airport Information
- MTS Airport Information
- Facts about SYA
- Facts about MTS
- 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 MTS
- List of Nearest Airports to MTS
- Map of Furthest Airports from MTS
- List of Furthest Airports from MTS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Matsapha Airport (MTS), Manzini, Swaziland would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,806 miles (or 15,781 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 Matsapha 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 Matsapha 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: |
|
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: | MTS / FDMS |
Airport Name: | Matsapha Airport |
Location: | Manzini, Swaziland |
GPS Coordinates: | 26°31'44"S by 31°18'27"E |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 2075 feet (632 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from MTS |
More Information: | MTS Maps & Info |
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
- 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.
- 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.
- The spring of 1944 brought improving weather and the B-24s and PV-1s to fly more missions over the Kuriles.
- With the exception of a small station housekeeping unit, Shemya was abandoned after the war.
- On 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station.
- In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and " ".
- 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.
- It also became a Strategic Air Command refueling site for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and KC-135 tankers as part of Operation Chrome Dome.
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Matsapha Airport (MTS):
- Matsapha Airport (MTS) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Matsapha Airport (MTS) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,827 miles (19,034 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
- The closest airport to Matsapha Airport (MTS) is Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP), which is located 80 miles (129 kilometers) N of MTS.