Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Alexandria, Egypt:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Alexandria International Airport (ALY), Alexandria, Egypt would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,220 miles (or 5,181 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 Lajes Air Base and Alexandria International Airport, 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 Lajes Air Base and Alexandria International Airport. 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 Lajes Air Base (TER):

• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• 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 Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• By 1943, the British and American armed forces were allowed basing rights in Portugal, and the Royal Air Force took over Lajes Field as RAF Station Lajes.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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.
• 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.
• On January 31, 1951, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster operated by the Portuguese Air Force crashed into the sea while approaching Lajes Field, having taken off from Lisbon, Portugal, killing all 14 on board.
• 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.
• The base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.

Facts about Alexandria International Airport (ALY):

• The airport has been closed down by December 2011 for two years to implement the expansion project and development.
• The future of the airport was in doubt with the opening of Borg El Arab Airport, however in early 2011 the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation announced major plans to overhaul the airport and its facilities to ensure its future as one of the two commercial airports for Alexandria and Nile Delta region.
• Due to the length of the runways, the largest aircraft operating into the airport were the Airbus A320-200, Boeing 737-800 and McDonnell Douglas MD-90.
• The closest airport to Alexandria International Airport (ALY) is Borg El Arab International Airport (HBE), which is located 24 miles (38 kilometers) SW of ALY.
• The furthest airport from Alexandria International Airport (ALY) is Rurutu Airport (RUR), which is located 11,827 miles (19,033 kilometers) away in Rurutu, French Polynesia.
• The airport is currently closed for renovation and is scheduled for reopening in June 2014 and all traffic was transferred to Borg El Arab Airport.
• Alexandria International Airport (ALY) has 2 runways.
• Because of Alexandria International Airport's relatively low elevation of -6 feet, planes can take off or land at Alexandria International 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.
• In addition to being known as "Alexandria International Airport", another name for ALY is "El Nouzha Airport".
• Alexandria International Airport or El Nouzha Airport is a public airport located in Alexandria, Egypt, 7 km southeast of the city center.