Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Geraldton Airport (GET), Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,156 miles (or 16,344 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 Geraldton 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 Geraldton 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):

• In August 2006, Portuguese news agencies reported that both governments were in discussions for a new agreement that could allow the use of Lajes for the training of a permanent F-22 Raptor squadron.
• 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 closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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.
• Lajes Field was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships in 1944.
• 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 origin of the Lajes Field dates back to 1928, when Portuguese Army Lieutenant colonel Eduardo Gomes da Silva wrote a report on the possible construction of an airfield in the plainland of Lajes, for that branch's aviation service.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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 Geraldton Airport (GET):

• The Royal Flying Doctor Service in Western Australia utilises the airport on an as required basis and has an aircraft hangar which is vested in the City of Greater Geraldton adjacent to the general aviation terminal.
• Geraldton Airport is the main regional base for aircraft charter operations, flight training, private flying, aerial and agricultural work and aircraft maintenance in the mid-west region.
• Flying training squadrons from RAAF Base Pearce also use Geraldton Airport.
• The furthest airport from Geraldton Airport (GET) is L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA), which is nearly antipodal to Geraldton Airport (meaning Geraldton Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from L.F. Wade International Airport), and is located 12,188 miles (19,614 kilometers) away in Ferry Reach (near Hamilton), Bermuda.
• The closest airport to Geraldton Airport (GET) is Mullewa Airport (MXU), which is located 54 miles (87 kilometers) ENE of GET.
• Geraldton Airport handled 104,051 passengers last year.
• Geraldton Airport was ranked 44th in Australia for the number of revenue passengers served in financial year 2010-2011.
• Dunns Aerial Spraying & Spreading Service provides crop dusting services from the airport for up to nine months of each year.
• Geraldton Airport has daily Regular Public Transport services, Geraldton – Perth – Geraldton, provided by both QantasLink and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines using Dash 8-400 and Fokker 50 aircraft respectively.
• Geraldton Airport (GET) has 3 runways.
• Because of Geraldton Airport's relatively low elevation of 121 feet, planes can take off or land at Geraldton 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.