Nonstop flight route between Silver City, New Mexico, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Grant County Airport (SVC), Silver City, New Mexico, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,416 miles (or 7,108 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 Grant 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 Grant 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 Grant County Airport (SVC):

• The furthest airport from Grant County Airport (SVC) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,404 miles (18,353 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 2,607 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 1,860 enplanements in 2009, and 1,501 in 2010.
• The closest airport to Grant County Airport (SVC) is Deming Municipal AirportDeming Army Airfield (DMN), which is located 36 miles (58 kilometers) SE of SVC.
• Grant County Airport (SVC) has 4 runways.
• Because of Grant County Airport's high elevation of 5,446 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at SVC. Combined with a high temperature, this could make SVC a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• 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 Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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 origin of the Lajes Field dates back to 1928, when Portuguese Army Lieutenant colonel Eduardo Gomes da Silva wrote a report on the possible construction of an airfield in the plainland of Lajes, for that branch's aviation service.
• 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 August 2006, Portuguese news agencies reported that both governments were in discussions for a new agreement that could allow the use of Lajes for the training of a permanent F-22 Raptor squadron.
• Base Aérea das LajesBase Aérea Nº 4Aeroporto das Lajes
• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.