Nonstop flight route between St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom and Taupo, New Zealand:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom and Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO), Taupo, New Zealand would travel a Great Circle distance of 11,561 miles (or 18,606 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 MoD St Athan and Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō, 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 MoD St Athan and Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō. 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 MoD St Athan (DGX):

• After the war, airmen of the Airframe and Engine trades continued to train at St Athan, but in 1955 this training dispersed to RAF Kirkham and RAF Weeton.
• Because of MoD St Athan's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at MoD St Athan 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.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 26 August 1993 an ATC civilian instructor was seriously injured and the RAF Volunteer Reserve pilot, Group Captain Roger Sweatman, was killed when their Chipmunk trainer, on an air experience flight, crashed after encountering difficulties during a simulated emergency low-height manoeuvre on take-off.
• The MOD later decided that DARA's 'Fast Jets' and 'Engines' businesses would close by April 2007, although the 'Large Aircraft' business would continue and, on 14 April 2005, the Project Red Dragon super-hangar opened and DARA moved its VC10 operations from its existing 'Twin Peaks' hangar into the new facility.
• The furthest airport from MoD St Athan (DGX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.

Facts about Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO):

• Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) is Ciudad Real Central Airport (CQM), which is nearly antipodal to Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (meaning Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ciudad Real Central Airport), and is located 12,428 miles (20,001 kilometers) away in Ciudad Real, Spain.
• The closest airport to Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) is Rotorua International Airport (ROT), which is located 45 miles (73 kilometers) NNE of TUO.
• A number of small charter and training operations are also based here along with maintenance providers and a large search and rescue facility.