Nonstop flight route between Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW), Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 12,011 miles (or 19,329 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 Moorabbin Harry Hawker 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 Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport and Lajes Air Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

The distance between MBW and TER makes them almost exactly antipodal (the exact opposite side of the world) to each other. Nonstop flights between Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport and Lajes Air Base would be very impractical for the airlines, because only a lightly loaded Boeing 777-200LR would be able to make the trip. Since airlines need to be able to take as many people and cargo as possible in order to make a profit, the odds of ever seeing a nonstop flight between MBW and TER are slim to none. However, you'll still be able to get from Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia and Lajes, Azores, Portugal by taking some connecting flights!

Did you know that one full circling of the Earth (measuring from the equator) is about 24,901.5 miles (or 40,075 kilometers), which means if you were 12,450 miles from any given point on the planet, the distance back to your starting point would be about the same -- in any direction! The same can be said for a nonstop flight between MBW and TER!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW):

• Because of Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport's relatively low elevation of 50 feet, planes can take off or land at Moorabbin Harry Hawker 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.
• The Wesfarmers draft Major Development Plan for Moorabbin Airport was refused by Albanese, on 5 August 2013.
• Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW) has 5 runways.
• Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport handled 9,766 passengers last year.
• " This was after more than 25 years of lobbying"
• In addition to being known as "Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport", other names for MBW include "Harry Hawker Airport" and "Melbourne/Moorabbin Airport".
• Moorabbin Airport is a general aviation airport for light aircraft located in between the Melbourne suburbs of Heatherton, Cheltenham, Dingley Village and Mentone, Australia.
• The closest airport to Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW) is Essendon Airport (MEB), which is located 20 miles (33 kilometers) NNW of MBW.
• The furthest airport from Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW) is Flores Airport (FLW), which is nearly antipodal to Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (meaning Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Flores Airport), and is located 12,209 miles (19,649 kilometers) away in Flores Island, Azores, Portugal.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• During World War II, the designation of the airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters.
• 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 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 civilian terminal also plays an important role in support of passenger and cargo airliners, executive, corporate and private jets flying to the island or beyond as the central location in the Azores group of islands makes it an ideal spot for refuelling or stopover.
• 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.
• Lajes Field was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships in 1944.
• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• On 1 December 1943, British and U.S.