Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Half Moon Bay, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF), Half Moon Bay, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,917 miles (or 7,913 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 Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip, 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 Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip. 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 Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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".
• Today, Lajes continues to support transiting aircraft.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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.

Facts about Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF):

• Half Moon Bay Airport covers an area of 325 acres at an elevation of 66 feet above mean sea level.
• The Half Moon Bay Airport is home to approximately 80 aircraft and several aviation related businesses.
• Because of Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip's relatively low elevation of 66 feet, planes can take off or land at Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip 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 Half Moon Bay Airport is located approximately 20 miles south of San Francisco.
• Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,375 miles (18,307 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The closest airport to Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF) is San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) NE of HAF.