Nonstop flight route between Kilwa Masoko, Tanzania and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kilwa Masoko Airport (KIY), Kilwa Masoko, Tanzania and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,385 miles (or 8,666 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 Kilwa Masoko 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 Kilwa Masoko 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 Kilwa Masoko Airport (KIY):

• In addition to being known as "Kilwa Masoko Airport", another name for KIY is "Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kilwa Masoko  (Swahili)".
• The furthest airport from Kilwa Masoko Airport (KIY) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is located 11,210 miles (18,041 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.
• Kilwa Masoko Airport (KIY) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Kilwa Masoko Airport (KIY) is Lindi / Kikwetu Airport (LDI), which is located 67 miles (108 kilometers) SSE of KIY.
• Because of Kilwa Masoko Airport's relatively low elevation of 59 feet, planes can take off or land at Kilwa Masoko 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.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• 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.
• Lajes provides support to 15,000 aircraft, including fighters from the US and 20 other allied nations each.
• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• 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 closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.