Nonstop flight route between Gillette, Wyoming, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC), Gillette, Wyoming, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,916 miles (or 6,303 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 Gillette–Campbell County 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 Gillette–Campbell County 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 Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC):

• Because of Gillette–Campbell County Airport's high elevation of 4,364 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at GCC. Combined with a high temperature, this could make GCC a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 28,232 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 26,869 in 2009 and 29,230 in 2010.
• Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) is Sheridan County Airport (SHR), which is located 77 miles (123 kilometers) WNW of GCC.
• The furthest airport from Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,622 miles (17,094 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• The civilian terminal also plays an important role in support of passenger and cargo airliners, executive, corporate and private jets flying to the island or beyond as the central location in the Azores group of islands makes it an ideal spot for refuelling or stopover.
• 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 the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• 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.
• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• 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.