Nonstop flight route between Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Bunbury Airport (BUY), Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,339 miles (or 16,639 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 Bunbury 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 Bunbury 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 Bunbury Airport (BUY):

• Because of Bunbury Airport's relatively low elevation of 53 feet, planes can take off or land at Bunbury 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.
• With increasing interest in ultra-light and general aviation, there is a potential for Bunbury Airport to become a major general aviation airport.
• In 2009, the airport received funding through the Western Australian Government's Regional Airports Development Scheme to extend the parallel taxiway by 700 m so arriving aircraft would no longer be required to turn around and taxi on the active runway to reach the apron area.
• Bunbury Airport (BUY) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Bunbury Airport (BUY) is Busselton Regional Airport (BQB), which is located 27 miles (43 kilometers) SW of BUY.
• The furthest airport from Bunbury Airport (BUY) is L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA), which is nearly antipodal to Bunbury Airport (meaning Bunbury Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from L.F. Wade International Airport), and is located 12,364 miles (19,898 kilometers) away in Ferry Reach (near Hamilton), Bermuda.
• In addition to being known as "Bunbury Airport", another name for BUY is "Bunbury City Airport".

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• 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 base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• 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.
• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• Portugal has explored contingencies in the event the United States military eventually abandons Lajes, including the possibility of entering an agreement with the People's Republic of China.
• 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.
• 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".
• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.