Nonstop flight route between Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF), Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,897 miles (or 6,271 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 Western Nebraska 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 Western Nebraska 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF):

• The closest airport to Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) is Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR), which is located 32 miles (51 kilometers) WNW of BFF.
• In addition to being known as "Western Nebraska Regional Airport", other names for BFF include "William B. Heilig Field" and "(former Scottsbluff Army Airfield)".
• Western Nebraska Regional Airport is three miles east of Scottsbluff, in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska.
• The furthest airport from Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,729 miles (17,266 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In 1944 base command was transferred from Second Air Force to the 1st Troop Carrier Command, and became a satellite field of Alliance Army Airfield.
• Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) has 2 runways.
• Construction began on September 7, 1942.
• The airfield closed on December 31, 1945 and the War Department handed over control to the City of Scottsbluff in 1947.

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.
• By 1943, the British and American armed forces were allowed basing rights in Portugal, and the Royal Air Force took over Lajes Field as RAF Station Lajes.
• During the Portuguese Colonial War, from 1961 to 1975, the Air Force Hospital at Lajes operated as the main centre for treatment and rehabilitation of mutilated and heavy burned soldiers of the three services of the Portuguese Armed Forces.
• 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".
• In the summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission known as "SILK PURSE." Boeing EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field as an airborne command post for the U.S.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.