Nonstop flight route between Fort Sill, Oklahoma, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,858 miles (or 6,209 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 Henry Post Army Airfield 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 Henry Post Army Airfield 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 Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI):

• After returning from combat duty in France, a cadre of the 135th Aero Squadron ) was assigned to Post Field as an observation squadron, supplying aircraft for the United States Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill and supported Army units at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
• The field was named in honor of pioneer aviator 2d Lieutenant Henry Post.
• The closest airport to Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI) is Lawton–Fort Sill Regional Airport (LAW), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) S of FSI.
• Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI) currently has only 1 runway.
• As a result of the United State's entry into World War I, Fort Sill was selected for a primary pilot school.
• With the sudden end of World War I in November 1918, the future operational status of Post Field was unknown.
• By the late 1920s, the World War I tarpaper buildings were rotting and turning into fire hazards.
• The furthest airport from Henry Post Army Airfield (FSI) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,920 miles (17,575 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The Army will continue to operate and maintain a precision approach radar at Fort Sill's Henry Post Field for the foreseeable future.

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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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 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.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• 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 was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships in 1944.
• 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.
• 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.