Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Point Mugu, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD), Point Mugu, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,894 miles (or 7,876 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 Naval Air Station Point Mugu, 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 Naval Air Station Point Mugu. 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):

• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.
• In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• 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.
• 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.
• On 14 December 2012 it was announced that personnel at Lajes Field will be reduced in 2014 with a reduction of 400 military personnel and 500 family members.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• 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 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 supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• 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.

Facts about Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD):

• Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Naval Air Station Point Mugu", another name for NTD is "Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC)".
• Point Mugu was the airfield used by former President Ronald Reagan during his presidency on visits to his Santa Barbara ranch.
• Because of Naval Air Station Point Mugu's relatively low elevation of 13 feet, planes can take off or land at Naval Air Station Point Mugu 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.
• At Point Mugu, NBVC operates two runways and encompasses a 36,000 square mile sea test range, anchored by San Nicolas Island.
• The closest airport to Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD) is Oxnard Airport (OXR), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NW of NTD.
• The furthest airport from Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,492 miles (18,495 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.