Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Weerawila, Sri Lanka:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SYA to WRZ:
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- About this route
- SYA Airport Information
- WRZ Airport Information
- Facts about SYA
- Facts about WRZ
- 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 WRZ
- List of Nearest Airports to WRZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from WRZ
- List of Furthest Airports from WRZ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Weerawila Airport (WRZ), Weerawila, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,995 miles (or 9,648 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 Weerawila 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 Weerawila 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: | WRZ / VCCW |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Weerawila, Sri Lanka |
GPS Coordinates: | 6°15'15"N by 81°14'2"E |
Area Served: | Hambantota |
Operator/Owner: | Sri Lanka Air Force |
Airport Type: | Public / Military |
Elevation: | 50 feet (15 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from WRZ |
More Information: | WRZ Maps & Info |
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- There is also an NDB, TACAN and a VOR on the island.
- It also became a Strategic Air Command refueling site for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and KC-135 tankers as part of Operation Chrome Dome.
- The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.
- 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.
- The 404th Bombardment Squadron flew B-24 Liberator heavy bombers along with one Beechcraft AT-7, which was used for navigator training.
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The aerial photos taken on the raid showed the Japanese were building up forces in the area, transferring aircraft presumably from air bases on Hokkaido.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Weerawila Airport (WRZ):
- The closest airport to Weerawila Airport (WRZ) is Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) WNW of WRZ.
- Because of Weerawila Airport's relatively low elevation of 50 feet, planes can take off or land at Weerawila 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.
- In addition to being known as "Weerawila Airport", another name for WRZ is "වීරවිල ගුවන්තොටුපළ".
- Weerawila Airport (WRZ) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Weerawila Airport (WRZ) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,727 miles (18,872 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.