Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, Panama:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport (CHX), Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, Panama would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,965 miles (or 6,381 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 Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" 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 Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" 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):

• 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 resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• Despite NATO and non-NATO fighter and transport planes which continue to use Lajes on a regular basis, the US DoD movements are now at an all time low.
• 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.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• 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 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.

Facts about Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport (CHX):

• Because of Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport's relatively low elevation of 20 feet, planes can take off or land at Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" 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 "Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport", another name for CHX is "Aeropuerto Internacional de Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño"".
• Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport (CHX) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport (CHX) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport (meaning Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,244 miles (19,704 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The closest airport to Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport (CHX) is Bocas del Toro "Isla Colón" International Airport (BOC), which is located 22 miles (35 kilometers) ESE of CHX.