Nonstop flight route between Athens, Tennessee, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between McMinn County Airport (MMI), Athens, Tennessee, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,124 miles (or 5,028 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 McMinn County 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 McMinn County 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 McMinn County Airport (MMI):

• The airport is attended from 0830 to Dusk and has 100LL aviation fuel and Jet A.
• Because of McMinn County Airport's relatively low elevation of 858 feet, planes can take off or land at McMinn County 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 closest airport to McMinn County Airport (MMI) is Rockwood Municipal Airport (RKW), which is located 37 miles (59 kilometers) N of MMI.
• McMinn County Airport (MMI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from McMinn County Airport (MMI) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,317 miles (18,212 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (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 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".
• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.
• 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.
• 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.
• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• 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.