Nonstop flight route between Lopez Island, Washington, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane Base (LPS), Lopez Island, Washington, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,517 miles (or 7,270 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 Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane Base 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 Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane Base 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 Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane Base (LPS):

• The furthest airport from Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane Base (LPS) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,724 miles (17,259 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The closest airport to Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane Base (LPS) is Center Island Airport (CWS), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) ESE of LPS.
• In addition to being known as "Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane Base", another name for LPS is "WA81".
• Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane Base (LPS) has 2 runways.
• Because of Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Fishermans Bay/LPS Seaplane 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.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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".
• 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.
• In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.