Nonstop flight route between Barranquilla, Colombia and Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), Barranquilla, Colombia and Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ), Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,763 miles (or 12,493 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 Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport and Kapiti Coast 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 Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport and Kapiti Coast 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 Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ):

• Because of Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport's relatively low elevation of 98 feet, planes can take off or land at Ernesto Cortissoz 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.
• At the beginning of commercial aviation in Colombia, airport construction was in charge of each airline purporting to serve a particular city.
• The closest airport to Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) is Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR), which is located 41 miles (65 kilometers) ENE of BAQ.
• The airport has three ramps for parking aircraft, they are for use by commercial passenger aircraft, cargo aircraft and military aircraft.
• Finally on the afternoon of April 7, 1981, Julio Cesar Turbay, president of the Republic and Alvaro Uribe Velez, Chief of the Aeronáutica Civil dedicated Barranquilla's new international airport Ernesto Cortissoz.
• Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) is Christmas Island Airport (XCH), which is nearly antipodal to Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (meaning Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christmas Island Airport), and is located 12,393 miles (19,944 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport", another name for BAQ is "Aeropuerto Internacional Ernesto Cortissoz".
• Soledad Airport soon established itself as the premier international airport in Colombia and the first hub in the country.

Facts about Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ):

• The closest airport to Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) is Wellington International Airport (WLG), which is located 31 miles (49 kilometers) SSW of PPQ.
• Paraparaumu was judged unsuitable for international operations in the 1950s due to Kapiti Island to the near west and the Tararua Ranges barely a mile east infringing the take-off and landing flightpaths.
• Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) has 3 runways.
• As recently as 1992, alternate sites for a new airport for Wellington were investigated, including Paraparaumu, but a decision was made to upgrade Wellington Airport's existing site.
• The furthest airport from Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) is Salamanca-Matacán Airport (SLM), which is nearly antipodal to Kapiti Coast Airport (meaning Kapiti Coast Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Salamanca-Matacán Airport), and is located 12,411 miles (19,973 kilometers) away in Salamanca, Spain.
• In 1952 a DC-3 experienced engine failure when about to land on Runway 34, and ploughed into a house in Kohutuhutu Rd, Raumati Beach.
• Originally government-owned, the Kapiti Coast Airport was the greater Wellington region's main airport until Wellington International Airport re-opened in 1959.
• The original runway dimensions were 1350 m x 45 m with an 85 m starter extension available on runway 16, nearly touching Kapiti Road, which runs past the aerodrome.
• Because of Kapiti Coast Airport's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Kapiti Coast 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.
• Constructed by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in July 1939 using equipment from Whenuapai, Paraparaumu was made available as an "Emergency Airport" by the government.
• Interest in providing commercial flights at Paraparaumu reignited because the Kapiti coast is one of New Zealand's fastest growing regional centres.