Nonstop flight route between Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM), Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,833 miles (or 6,168 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 Fort McMurray International 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 Fort McMurray International 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 Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM):

• Fort McMurray International Airport handled 1,195,378 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 9,996 miles (16,087 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• As the current terminal building can only accommodate 250,000, the ever exceeding growth in passenger demand has pushed for the construction of a new building.
• The closest airport to Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) is Buffalo Narrows Airport (YVT), which is located 121 miles (195 kilometers) ESE of YMM.
• Bus service operates between the airport and downtown Fort McMurray via the Route 11 Airport Shuttle bus.
• Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) currently has only 1 runway.

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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In August 2006, Portuguese news agencies reported that both governments were in discussions for a new agreement that could allow the use of Lajes for the training of a permanent F-22 Raptor squadron.
• 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 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• 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 closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.