Nonstop flight route between Klawock, Alaska, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Klawock Airport (KLW), Klawock, Alaska, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,611 miles (or 7,420 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 Klawock 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 Klawock 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 Klawock Airport (KLW):

• Klawock Airport has one asphalt paved runway designated 2/20 which measures 5,000 by 100 feet.
• In addition to being known as "Klawock Airport", another name for KLW is "AKW".
• As the pilot applied the brakes, the airplane veered to the left, and he was unable to keep the plane on the runway surface.
• The closest airport to Klawock Airport (KLW) is Craig Seaplane Base (CGA), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSW of KLW.
• The furthest airport from Klawock Airport (KLW) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 10,638 miles (17,120 kilometers) away in Port Alfred, South Africa.
• Because of Klawock Airport's relatively low elevation of 80 feet, planes can take off or land at Klawock 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.
• During a post-accident inspection, maintenance personnel discovered a broken landing gear oleo attachment bracket on the left main landing gear strut assembly.
• Klawock Airport (KLW) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Lajes Field also supported U.S.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Recently, in August 2010, Portuguese news agencies advised for the termination of the F-22 Raptor plan to use Lajes as a platform for DACT training over the Atlantic Ocean.
• 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 closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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 the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• 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.
• Base Aérea das LajesBase Aérea Nº 4Aeroporto das Lajes
• 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 resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.