Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport (IMP), Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,326 miles (or 5,353 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 Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira 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 Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira 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):

• Portugal has explored contingencies in the event the United States military eventually abandons Lajes, including the possibility of entering an agreement with the People's Republic of China.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of 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 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.
• 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 Field was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships in 1944.
• 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".
• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.

Facts about Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport (IMP):

• At the end of World War II, the first airport with a 1,200m x 30m earth runway was operational but it was subject to flooding during the rainy season.
• The furthest airport from Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport (IMP) is Roman Tmetuchl International Airport (ROR), which is nearly antipodal to Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport (meaning Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Roman Tmetuchl International Airport), and is located 12,250 miles (19,714 kilometers) away in Koror, Palau.
• Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport (IMP) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport (IMP) is João Correa da Rocha Airport (MAB), which is located 116 miles (187 kilometers) W of IMP.
• In addition to being known as "Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport", another name for IMP is "Aeroporto de Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira".
• Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport handled 323,940 passengers last year.
• Around the end of the 1960s studies were made for a completely new facility and the site of the present airport was chosen.
• Because of Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport's relatively low elevation of 431 feet, planes can take off or land at Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira 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.