Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Piarco (near Port of Spain), Trinidad and Tobago:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Piarco International Airport (POS), Piarco (near Port of Spain), Trinidad and Tobago would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,869 miles (or 4,617 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 Piarco International 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 Piarco International 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):

• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• 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.
• 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.
• Base Aérea das LajesBase Aérea Nº 4Aeroporto das Lajes
• Recently, in August 2010, Portuguese news agencies advised for the termination of the F-22 Raptor plan to use Lajes as a platform for DACT training over the Atlantic Ocean.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.

Facts about Piarco International Airport (POS):

• The disused south terminal has been renovated into a VIP terminal for the Summit of The Americas.
• Piarco International Airport (POS) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Piarco International Airport", another name for POS is "78970[1][2]".
• Piarco International Airport has two terminals.
• The furthest airport from Piarco International Airport (POS) is Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (WGP), which is nearly antipodal to Piarco International Airport (meaning Piarco International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport), and is located 12,308 miles (19,808 kilometers) away in Waingapu, Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
• The control tower at the old terminal building is currently used for air traffic control.
• Because of Piarco International Airport's relatively low elevation of 58 feet, planes can take off or land at Piarco International 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.
• The closest airport to Piarco International Airport (POS) is A.N.R. Robinson International Airport (TAB), which is located 51 miles (83 kilometers) NE of POS.
• The airport is also large enough to accommodate most international widebody airliners including the Boeing 747, Airbus A330-300, Boeing 777, Boeing 767 and the Airbus A340.
• A major expansion of the airport, which included the construction of a new terminal building, and high-speed taxiways, was completed in 2001.