Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Minami-Tori-shima, Japan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Minamitorishima Air Field (MUS), Minami-Tori-shima, Japan would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,080 miles (or 13,003 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 Minamitorishima Air Field, 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 Minamitorishima Air Field. 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):

• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• 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 supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• 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.
• During the Portuguese Colonial War, from 1961 to 1975, the Air Force Hospital at Lajes operated as the main centre for treatment and rehabilitation of mutilated and heavy burned soldiers of the three services of the Portuguese Armed Forces.
• 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.

Facts about Minamitorishima Air Field (MUS):

• Minamitorishima Air Field (MUS) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Minamitorishima Air Field (MUS) is Central Field (Iwo Jima)Motoyama No. 2Airfield No. 2 (IWO), which is located 796 miles (1,281 kilometers) W of MUS.
• The furthest airport from Minamitorishima Air Field (MUS) is Vitória-Eurico de Aguiar Salles Airport (Goiabeiras) (VIX), which is located 11,484 miles (18,481 kilometers) away in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
• Because of Minamitorishima Air Field's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Minamitorishima Air Field 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 addition to being known as "Minamitorishima Air Field", other names for MUS include "Minami Torishima Airport" and "Marcus Island Airport".