Nonstop flight route between Columbia/Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Maury County Airport (MRC), Columbia/Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,256 miles (or 5,240 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 Maury 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 Maury 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 Maury County Airport (MRC):

• The furthest airport from Maury County Airport (MRC) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,170 miles (17,976 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Maury County Airport's relatively low elevation of 681 feet, planes can take off or land at Maury 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.
• Maury County Airport covers an area of 188 acres at an elevation of 681 feet above mean sea level.
• The closest airport to Maury County Airport (MRC) is Centerville Municipal Airport (GHM), which is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) NW of MRC.
• Maury County Airport (MRC) has 2 runways.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Today, Lajes continues to support transiting aircraft.
• 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.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• 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.
• Base Aérea das LajesBase Aérea Nº 4Aeroporto das Lajes
• In the summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission known as "SILK PURSE." Boeing EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field as an airborne command post for the 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.
• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• 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".