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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Redding Municipal AirportRedding Army Airfield (RDD), Redding, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,790 miles (or 7,710 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 Redding Municipal AirportRedding Army Airfield, 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 Redding Municipal AirportRedding Army Airfield. 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):

• In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• Lajes provides support to 15,000 aircraft, including fighters from the US and 20 other allied nations each.
• 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.
• During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Lajes Field also supported U.S.
• 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".
• 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.
• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1947, the Portuguese Esquadra 41 started to operate from Lajes, equipped with Boeing SB-17, Grumman HU-16 Albatross, Douglas C-54 Skymaster and, later Sikorsky H-19.

Facts about Redding Municipal AirportRedding Army Airfield (RDD):

• In 1942 the site of Redding Army Airfield was acquired by the United States Army Corps of Engineers for the United States Army Air Forces.
• On July 17, 2008 President George Bush and staff landed at Redding in Air Force One.
• Redding Municipal AirportRedding Army Airfield (RDD) has 2 runways.
• On 1 November 1944 control of Redding AAF was transferred from the Fourth Air Force to the Sacramento Area Command of the Army Air Forces’ Air Technical Service Command headquartered at McClellan Army Airfield near Sacramento.
• The City of Redding is in the process of expanding the passenger terminal.
• The closest airport to Redding Municipal AirportRedding Army Airfield (RDD) is Red Bluff Municipal Airport (RBL), which is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) S of RDD.
• The furthest airport from Redding Municipal AirportRedding Army Airfield (RDD) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,201 miles (18,026 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• On 19 December 1945 the military declared Redding AAF excess and on 18 November 1946 it was turned over to the City of Redding for a civil airfield.
• Because of Redding Municipal AirportRedding Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 505 feet, planes can take off or land at Redding Municipal AirportRedding Army Airfield 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.