Nonstop flight route between Grise Fiord, Nunavut, Canada and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Grise Fiord Airport (YGZ), Grise Fiord, Nunavut, Canada and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,085 miles (or 4,965 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 Grise Fiord Airport and Lajes Air Base, 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 Grise Fiord Airport and Lajes Air Base. 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 Grise Fiord Airport (YGZ):

• Grise Fiord Airport (YGZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Grise Fiord Airport (YGZ) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,701 miles (15,612 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• The closest airport to Grise Fiord Airport (YGZ) is Siorapaluk Heliport (SRK), which is located 209 miles (336 kilometers) ENE of YGZ.
• Because of Grise Fiord Airport's relatively low elevation of 135 feet, planes can take off or land at Grise Fiord 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.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• 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 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.
• 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".
• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.
• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• During World War II, the designation of the airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters.
• Today, Lajes continues to support transiting aircraft.