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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM), Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,231 miles (or 6,809 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 Cavern City Air Terminal, 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 Cavern City Air Terminal. 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 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.
• 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.
• 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".
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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 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.
• During World War II, the designation of the airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters.
• Recently, in August 2010, Portuguese news agencies advised for the termination of the F-22 Raptor plan to use Lajes as a platform for DACT training over the Atlantic Ocean.
• 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.

Facts about Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM):

• The closest airport to Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM) is Artesia Municipal Airport (ATS), which is located 38 miles (60 kilometers) NNW of CNM.
• Cavern City Air Terminal is a public use airport in Eddy County, New Mexico, United States.
• Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM) has 4 runways.
• The furthest airport from Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,279 miles (18,151 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Cavern City Air Terminl covers an area of 1,980 acres at an elevation of 3,295 feet above mean sea level.
• In addition to being known as "Cavern City Air Terminal", another name for CNM is "(former Carlsbad Army Airfield)".
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 2,207 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 3,417 enplanements in 2009, and 2,606 in 2010.