Nonstop flight route between Merced, California, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from MCE to TER:
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- About this route
- MCE Airport Information
- TER Airport Information
- Facts about MCE
- Facts about TER
- Map of Nearest Airports to MCE
- List of Nearest Airports to MCE
- Map of Furthest Airports from MCE
- List of Furthest Airports from MCE
- Map of Nearest Airports to TER
- List of Nearest Airports to TER
- Map of Furthest Airports from TER
- List of Furthest Airports from TER
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Merced Regional Airport (MCE), Merced, California, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,836 miles (or 7,782 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 Merced Regional Airport and Lajes Air Base, 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 Merced Regional Airport and Lajes Air Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MCE / KMCE |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Merced, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°17'4"N by 120°30'50"W |
Area Served: | Merced, California |
Operator/Owner: | City of Merced |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 155 feet (47 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from MCE |
More Information: | MCE Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | TER / LPLA |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Lajes, Azores, Portugal |
GPS Coordinates: | 38°45'42"N by 27°5'26"W |
Area Served: | Praia da Vitória/Angra do Heroísmo |
Operator/Owner: | Portuguese Air Force/Autonomous Regional Government of the Azores |
Airport Type: | Military/Public |
Elevation: | 180 feet (55 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from TER |
More Information: | TER Maps & Info |
Facts about Merced Regional Airport (MCE):
- In 1946 United Airlines built offices and a terminal building and began one Douglas DC-3 flight each way a day.
- The Department of Transportation reselected Great Lakes Airlines to provide Essential Air Service at Merced Regional Airport for the two-year period from October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2014.
- In addition to being known as "Merced Regional Airport", another name for MCE is "MacReady Field".
- In 1943 New Merced Municipal Airport was leased to the U.S.
- Between 1957 and 2007, Merced Regional Airport hosted the annual Merced West Coast Antique Fly-In.
- The closest airport to Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Castle Airport (MER), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNW of MCE.
- Merced Regional Airport (MCE) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Merced Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 155 feet, planes can take off or land at Merced Regional 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 furthest airport from Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,314 miles (18,209 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):
- Because of Lajes Air Base's relatively low elevation of 180 feet, planes can take off or land at Lajes Air Base 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 Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
- Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
- The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
- Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.
- The origin of the Lajes Field dates back to 1928, when Portuguese Army Lieutenant colonel Eduardo Gomes da Silva wrote a report on the possible construction of an airfield in the plainland of Lajes, for that branch's aviation service.
- The furthest airport from Lajes Air Base (TER) is Merimbula Airport (MIM), which is nearly antipodal to Lajes Air Base (meaning Lajes Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Merimbula Airport), and is located 12,229 miles (19,680 kilometers) away in Merimbula, New South Wales, Australia.
- In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
- Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
- In August 2006, Portuguese news agencies reported that both governments were in discussions for a new agreement that could allow the use of Lajes for the training of a permanent F-22 Raptor squadron.
- In addition to being known as "Lajes Air Base", other names for TER include "Base Aérea das Lajes", "Base Aérea Nº 4" and "Aeroporto das Lajes".