Nonstop flight route between Hayden, Colorado, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Yampa Valley Airport (HDN), Hayden, Colorado, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,108 miles (or 6,612 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 Yampa Valley 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 Yampa Valley 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 Yampa Valley Airport (HDN):

• Because of Yampa Valley Airport's high elevation of 6,606 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at HDN. Combined with a high temperature, this could make HDN a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The airport is in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which called it a primary commercial service airport.Federal Aviation Administration records say it had 136,600 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 122,480 in 2009 and 110,044 in 2010.
• The Yampa Valley Airport recently completed Phase II of a project that expanded the terminal, apron and parking lots.
• The furthest airport from Yampa Valley Airport (HDN) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,901 miles (17,543 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Yampa Valley Airport (HDN) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Yampa Valley Airport (HDN) is Craig–Moffat Airport (CIG), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) W of HDN.
• In addition to being known as "Yampa Valley Airport", another name for HDN is "Yampa Valley Regional Airport".

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• The origin of the Lajes Field dates back to 1928, when Portuguese Army Lieutenant colonel Eduardo Gomes da Silva wrote a report on the possible construction of an airfield in the plainland of Lajes, for that branch's aviation service.
• 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.
• 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.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• 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.
• 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.
• In August 2006, Portuguese news agencies reported that both governments were in discussions for a new agreement that could allow the use of Lajes for the training of a permanent F-22 Raptor squadron.
• 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 Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.