Nonstop flight route between Savannah, Georgia, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hunter Army Airfield (SVN), Savannah, Georgia, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,036 miles (or 4,887 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 Hunter Army Airfield 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 Hunter Army Airfield 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 Hunter Army Airfield (SVN):

• The phaseout of SAC Medium Bomber in the early 1960s resulted in SAC leaving Hunter in 1963.
• Hunter Army Airfield (SVN) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Hunter Army Airfield (SVN) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,487 miles (18,486 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Hunter features a runway that is 11,375 feet long and an aircraft parking area that is more than 350 acres.
• Throughout 1942, light bomber and dive bomber groups received combat training at Savannah AAB before being deployed to the combat zones overseas.
• Because of Hunter Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 42 feet, planes can take off or land at Hunter Army Airfield 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 30 August 1940, the United States Army Air Corps received approval to build a base at Hunter Municipal Airifeld.
• Hunter AFB was assigned to the Strategic Air Command's Second Air Force.
• Currently, Hunter Army Airfield has approximately 5,000 soldiers, airmen and coast guardsmen on station.
• Coast Guard Air Station Savannah is also located on Hunter Army Airfield.
• In 1964, the Department of Defense announced that the base would be closed, along with 94 other military installations.
• The closest airport to Hunter Army Airfield (SVN) is Savannah / Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) NNW of SVN.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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".
• 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.
• Today, Lajes continues to support transiting aircraft.
• 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.
• 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 Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• 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.