Nonstop flight route between Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield (HMN), Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,306 miles (or 6,930 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 Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo 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 Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo 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 Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield (HMN):

• The Holloman Air Development Center became the base operating unit on 10 October 1952, and the 3,500 ft rocket-powered sled was first run on 19 March 1954.
• Planned for the British Overseas Training program which they did not pursue, construction for the USAAF base 6 mi west of Alamogordo, New Mexico, began on 6 February 1942.
• As of November 2006 there are 650 German military personnel and 25 Tornado aircraft assigned to Holloman AFB.
• The furthest airport from Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield (HMN) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,323 miles (18,222 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Aircraft of the 96th Test Group carry the tail code "HT".
• In addition to being known as "Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield", another name for HMN is "Holloman AFB".
• The closest airport to Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield (HMN) is Alamogordo–White Sands Regional Airport (ALM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) E of HMN.
• On 29 September 1999, two Luftwaffe Tornados crashed near Marathon Indian Basin, about 15 miles northwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico.
• Along with the 49th FW, the 96th Test Group, part of the 96th Test Wing from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida is based at Holloman.
• The Aero-Medical Field Laboratory at Holloman "conducted space flight training with chimpanzees 1961-1962", including Ham the Chimp launched 31 January 1961 and ENOS on an orbital flight.
• There are numerous reasons the German Air Force trains at Holloman.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• 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.
• 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".
• 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 United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• Civilian operators may use Terceira Airport/Lajes Air Base after requesting a landing permit according to the rules inscribed in the AIP for Portugal, issued by the Portuguese Directorate of Civilian Aviation.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.