Nonstop flight route between Qamdo Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China and Johannesburg, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
![Get maps and more information about Qamdo Bamda Airport Get airport maps and more information about Qamdo Bamda Airport](images/takeoff-icon.gif)
Arrival Airport:
![Get maps and more information about Rand Airport Get airport maps and more information about Rand Airport](images/landing-icon.gif)
Distance from BPX to QRA:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- BPX Airport Information
- QRA Airport Information
- Facts about BPX
- Facts about QRA
- Map of Nearest Airports to BPX
- List of Nearest Airports to BPX
- Map of Furthest Airports from BPX
- List of Furthest Airports from BPX
- Map of Nearest Airports to QRA
- List of Nearest Airports to QRA
- Map of Furthest Airports from QRA
- List of Furthest Airports from QRA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Qamdo Bamda Airport (BPX), Qamdo Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China and Rand Airport (QRA), Johannesburg, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,010 miles (or 9,672 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 Qamdo Bamda Airport and Rand 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 Qamdo Bamda Airport and Rand Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BPX / ZUBD |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Qamdo Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China |
GPS Coordinates: | 30°33'12"N by 97°6'30"E |
Area Served: | Qamdo, Tibet, China |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 14436 feet (4,400 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from BPX |
More Information: | BPX Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | QRA / FAGM |
Airport Name: | Rand Airport |
Location: | Johannesburg, South Africa |
GPS Coordinates: | 26°14'32"S by 28°9'3"E |
Operator/Owner: | Rand Airport Management Company (Pty) Ltd. |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 5482 feet (1,671 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from QRA |
More Information: | QRA Maps & Info |
Facts about Qamdo Bamda Airport (BPX):
- At an elevation of 4,334 m above sea level, Qamdo Airport was formerly the highest airport in the world.
- Visitors are warned before landing to move slowly on leaving the plane and that they may feel light headed or dizzy because of the thin air.
- Because of Qamdo Bamda Airport's high elevation of 14,436 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at BPX. Combined with a high temperature, this could make BPX a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- In addition to being known as "Qamdo Bamda Airport", other names for BPX include "昌都邦达机场" and "Chāngdū Bāngdá Jīchǎng".
- Qamdo Bamda Airport (BPX) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Qamdo Bamda Airport (BPX) is Yushu Batang Airport (YUS), which is located 158 miles (254 kilometers) N of BPX.
- The furthest airport from Qamdo Bamda Airport (BPX) is Viña del Mar Airport (KNA), which is located 11,747 miles (18,904 kilometers) away in Viña del Mar, Chile.
Facts about Rand Airport (QRA):
- Boeing 747SP at the South African Airways Museum Society situated near the threshold of Runway 29.
- Rand Airport (QRA) has 2 runways.
- Today, the airport hosts air charter operators, flying schools and a number of aircraft maintenance organizations, as well as pilot shops, car hire and other aviation-related enterprises.
- The airport is also home to the Flying Lions Aerobatic Team.
- Because of Rand Airport's high elevation of 5,482 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at QRA. Combined with a high temperature, this could make QRA a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Rand Airport (QRA) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,977 miles (19,275 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
- The closest airport to Rand Airport (QRA) is O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) NE of QRA.
- In October 2000, the airport was privatized.
- SAA moved its headquarters to Palmietfontein Airport in 1948 because of runway length constraints.