Nonstop flight route between Katima Mulilo, Namibia and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Katima Mulilo Airport (MPA), Katima Mulilo, Namibia and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,114 miles (or 8,231 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 Katima Mulilo 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 Katima Mulilo 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 Katima Mulilo Airport (MPA):

• Katima Mulilo Airport (MPA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Katima Mulilo Airport (MPA) is Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA), which is nearly antipodal to Katima Mulilo Airport (meaning Katima Mulilo Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Kona International Airport at Keāhole), and is located 12,291 miles (19,780 kilometers) away in Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States.
• The closest airport to Katima Mulilo Airport (MPA) is Kasane Airport (BBK), which is located 66 miles (107 kilometers) ESE of MPA.
• In addition to being known as "Katima Mulilo Airport", another name for MPA is "Mpacha Airport".

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• 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".
• Lajes Field was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships in 1944.
• In 2009 Lajes provided rescue support of shipping lanes across the Atlantic, a safe haven for medical or mechanical emergency situations in aircraft crossing the Atlantic, and support for the USAF's continuing campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• 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.
• Lajes provides support to 15,000 aircraft, including fighters from the US and 20 other allied nations each.
• 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.
• In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.