Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport (RGL), Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,743 miles (or 10,852 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 Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández 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 Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández 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):

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• Today, Lajes continues to support transiting aircraft.
• 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 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.

Facts about Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport (RGL):

• In addition to being known as "Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport", another name for RGL is "Aeropuerto de Rio Gallegos "Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández"".
• The furthest airport from Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport (RGL) is Chita Kadala (HTA), which is nearly antipodal to Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport (meaning Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chita Kadala), and is located 12,321 miles (19,829 kilometers) away in Chita, Russia.
• Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport (RGL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport (RGL) is Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ), which is located 116 miles (187 kilometers) SSW of RGL.
• Because of Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport's relatively low elevation of 66 feet, planes can take off or land at Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández 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.