Nonstop flight route between Fort Worth, Texas, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW), Fort Worth, Texas, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,863 miles (or 6,217 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 Fort Worth Meacham Int'l 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 Fort Worth Meacham Int'l 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 Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW):

• Because of Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport's relatively low elevation of 710 feet, planes can take off or land at Fort Worth Meacham Int'l 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.
• The closest airport to Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW) is Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base (FWH), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) SW of FTW.
• In 2001 Continental Airlines announced plans for Continental Express flights between Meacham and Houston Intercontinental Airport but this was dropped after September 11, 2001, attacks.
• Since 1953 Meacham Airport has been used for corporate aircraft, commuter flights, and student pilot training.
• The furthest airport from Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,944 miles (17,613 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW) has 3 runways.
• Fort Worth Meacham International Airport is a general aviation airport in Fort Worth, Texas similar to Addison Airport on the Dallas side of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• During World War II, the designation of the airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters.
• 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 Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• 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.
• Today, Lajes continues to support transiting aircraft.
• 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.