Nonstop flight route between Dargaville, New Zealand and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Dargaville Aerodrome (DGR), Dargaville, New Zealand and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 11,271 miles (or 18,138 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 Dargaville Aerodrome 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 Dargaville Aerodrome 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 Dargaville Aerodrome (DGR):

• Dargaville Aerodrome (DGR) has 2 runways.
• Dargaville airfield is at sea level at the northern end of the large Kaipara harbour, forming a pair with the similar sea level West Auckland Airport, at Parakai at the southern end of the harbour some 50 miles away.
• The furthest airport from Dargaville Aerodrome (DGR) is Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport (TNG), which is nearly antipodal to Dargaville Aerodrome (meaning Dargaville Aerodrome is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport), and is located 12,419 miles (19,986 kilometers) away in Tangier, Morocco.
• The airfield has an active aero club which provides training in advanced microlight and a Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft, and has a regular 'fly-in' lunch once a week that attracts aviators from New Zealand's North island.
• The closest airport to Dargaville Aerodrome (DGR) is Whangarei Airport (WRE), which is located 29 miles (47 kilometers) ENE of DGR.
• Because of Dargaville Aerodrome's relatively low elevation of 635 feet, planes can take off or land at Dargaville Aerodrome 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 Lajes Air Base (TER):

• 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.
• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• 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 resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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 provides support to 15,000 aircraft, including fighters from the US and 20 other allied nations each.
• 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".
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.