Nonstop flight route between Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista, Arizona, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU), Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista, Arizona, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,563 miles (or 7,344 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 Sierra Vista Municipal 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 Sierra Vista Municipal 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 Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU):

• In addition to being known as "Sierra Vista Municipal Airport", another name for FHU is "Libby Army Airfield".
• The furthest airport from Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,531 miles (18,557 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Because of Sierra Vista Municipal Airport's high elevation of 4,719 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at FHU. Combined with a high temperature, this could make FHU a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The closest airport to Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU) is Bisbee Municipal Airport (BSQ), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) ESE of FHU.
• Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU) has 3 runways.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• On January 31, 1951, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster operated by the Portuguese Air Force crashed into the sea while approaching Lajes Field, having taken off from Lisbon, Portugal, killing all 14 on board.
• 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".
• In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• The base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• 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.
• Base Aérea das LajesBase Aérea Nº 4Aeroporto das Lajes
• During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Lajes Field also supported U.S.
• 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.
• 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.