Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista, Arizona, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU), Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista, Arizona, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,563 miles (or 7,344 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 Sierra Vista Municipal 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 Sierra Vista Municipal 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):

• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• Lajes provides support to 15,000 aircraft, including fighters from the US and 20 other allied nations each.
• 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 closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• 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.
• Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base, officially designated Air Base No.
• 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.
• In the summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission known as "SILK PURSE." Boeing EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field as an airborne command post for the U.S.

Facts about Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU):

• In addition to being known as "Sierra Vista Municipal Airport", another name for FHU is "Libby Army Airfield".
• The furthest airport from Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,531 miles (18,557 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU) is Bisbee Municipal Airport (BSQ), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) ESE of FHU.
• Because of Sierra Vista Municipal Airport's high elevation of 4,719 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at FHU. Combined with a high temperature, this could make FHU a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.