Nonstop flight route between Gainesville, Georgia, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL), Gainesville, Georgia, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,116 miles (or 5,014 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 Lee Gilmer Memorial 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 Lee Gilmer Memorial 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 Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL):

• The closest airport to Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL) is Barrow County Airport (WDR), which is located 22 miles (36 kilometers) SSE of GVL.
• Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,355 miles (18,274 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• By 1943, the British and American armed forces were allowed basing rights in Portugal, and the Royal Air Force took over Lajes Field as RAF Station Lajes.
• 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.
• In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• Lajes provides support to 15,000 aircraft, including fighters from the US and 20 other allied nations each.
• 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.
• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• 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.
• 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".
• During the Portuguese Colonial War, from 1961 to 1975, the Air Force Hospital at Lajes operated as the main centre for treatment and rehabilitation of mutilated and heavy burned soldiers of the three services of the Portuguese Armed Forces.