Nonstop flight route between Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Erbil International Airport (EBL), Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,797 miles (or 6,110 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 Erbil International 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 Erbil International 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 Erbil International Airport (EBL):

• The furthest airport from Erbil International Airport (EBL) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,525 miles (18,548 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• The new airport has one of the world's longest runways, 4,800 m × 90 m and equipped for ILS CAT II operations.
• The closest airport to Erbil International Airport (EBL) is Sulaimaniyah International Airport (ISU), which is located 89 miles (143 kilometers) ESE of EBL.
• The old airport of Erbil covered 7,000 m2, and was divided into departure and arrival halls.
• In addition to being known as "Erbil International Airport", other names for EBL include "Firokaxaney Nêwdewletî Hewlêr" and "فڕۆکه‌خانه‌ی نێوده‌وڵه‌تی هه‌ولێر".
• The airport was built at the beginning of the 1970s as an Iraqi military base.
• Erbil International Airport (EBL) has 2 runways.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• 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 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 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.
• In 1947, the Portuguese Esquadra 41 started to operate from Lajes, equipped with Boeing SB-17, Grumman HU-16 Albatross, Douglas C-54 Skymaster and, later Sikorsky H-19.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• Despite NATO and non-NATO fighter and transport planes which continue to use Lajes on a regular basis, the US DoD movements are now at an all time low.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.