Nonstop flight route between Galena, Alaska, United States and Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from GAL to PPQ:
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- About this route
- GAL Airport Information
- PPQ Airport Information
- Facts about GAL
- Facts about PPQ
- Map of Nearest Airports to GAL
- List of Nearest Airports to GAL
- Map of Furthest Airports from GAL
- List of Furthest Airports from GAL
- Map of Nearest Airports to PPQ
- List of Nearest Airports to PPQ
- Map of Furthest Airports from PPQ
- List of Furthest Airports from PPQ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL), Galena, Alaska, United States and Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ), Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,456 miles (or 11,999 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 Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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 Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GAL / PAGA |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Galena, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 64°44'9"N by 156°56'15"W |
| Area Served: | Galena, Alaska |
| Operator/Owner: | State of Alaska DOT&PF - Northern Region |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 153 feet (47 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GAL |
| More Information: | GAL Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | PPQ / NZPP |
| Airport Name: | Kapiti Coast Airport |
| Location: | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand |
| GPS Coordinates: | 40°54'16"S by 174°59'21"E |
| Airport Type: | Attended, Uncontrolled, Certificated Aerodrome |
| Elevation: | 22 feet (7 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from PPQ |
| More Information: | PPQ Maps & Info |
Facts about Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL):
- Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,313 miles (16,598 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
- Because of Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport's relatively low elevation of 153 feet, planes can take off or land at Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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.
- In addition to being known as "Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport", another name for GAL is "(former Galena Air Force Base)".
- The airport also sports a ski-jump takeoff ramp at one end and provisions for arresting gear at the other, a leftover from the Cold War years as Galena Air Force Base, as tactical aircraft required more landing and takeoff space than was available on the runway.
- As Galena Airport, it was used as a military transport base during World War II, facilitating the transit of Lend-Lease aircraft to the Soviet Union.
- The closest airport to Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is Koyukuk Airport (KYU), which is located 25 miles (41 kilometers) WNW of GAL.
Facts about Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ):
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Kapiti Aero Club is based at the airport, along with other private fliers and charter businesses.
- 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.
- Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) has 3 runways.
- Re-development proposals involve closing 11/29, with a parallel grass runway as the only crosswind runway.
