Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport (YCM), St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,690 miles (or 4,329 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 St. Catharines/Niagara District 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 St. Catharines/Niagara District 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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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.
• The civilian terminal also plays an important role in support of passenger and cargo airliners, executive, corporate and private jets flying to the island or beyond as the central location in the Azores group of islands makes it an ideal spot for refuelling or stopover.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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".

Facts about St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport (YCM):

• The furthest airport from St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport (YCM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,437 miles (18,406 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport (YCM) is Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) ESE of YCM.
• Because of St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport's relatively low elevation of 321 feet, planes can take off or land at St. Catharines/Niagara District 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.
• It is also not unusual to see Royal Canadian Air Force search and rescue aircraft on the ramp refueling while on search and rescue or training missions in the region.
• St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport (YCM) has 3 runways.
• With the outbreak of World War II many flying clubs, including the S.C.F.C, saw their resources being stretched to the limit.
• Though only three months under preparation it affords 2,400-ft.