Nonstop flight route between Gisborne, New Zealand and Big Rapids, Michigan, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gisborne Airport (GIS), Gisborne, New Zealand and Roben-Hood Airport (WBR), Big Rapids, Michigan, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,272 miles (or 13,313 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 Gisborne Airport and Roben-Hood 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 Gisborne Airport and Roben-Hood 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 Gisborne Airport (GIS):

• The closest airport to Gisborne Airport (GIS) is Whakatane Airport (WHK), which is located 77 miles (124 kilometers) NW of GIS.
• Eastland Group pay's Gisborne District Council an annual rental fee indexed to passenger numbers and is accountable for all capital investment.
• The Eastland Group Website
• Because of Gisborne Airport's relatively low elevation of 15 feet, planes can take off or land at Gisborne 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 furthest airport from Gisborne Airport (GIS) is Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC), which is nearly antipodal to Gisborne Airport (meaning Gisborne Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Alicante-Elche Airport), and is located 12,353 miles (19,881 kilometers) away in Alicante, Spain.
• Gisborne Airport (GIS) has 4 runways.

Facts about Roben-Hood Airport (WBR):

• Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) has 2 runways.
• In the months following the dedication there appears to be a renewed interest n obtaining a larger parcel of land for the airport, spearheaded by the Rotary Club, American Legion, Exchange Club, and the Big Rapids Board of Trade.
• Because of Roben-Hood Airport's relatively low elevation of 990 feet, planes can take off or land at Roben-Hood 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 furthest airport from Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,143 miles (17,933 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Roben-Hood Airport", another name for WBR is "RQB".
• In mid 1941, the Civil Aeronautics Authority was still considering the airport as an “auxiliary field” according to Earl Bender, airport manager.
• Four months later in October, the paper reported “Big Rapids Air Line starts December 15.” Jack Byrne of the Furniture Capital Air Service of Grand Rapids planned to stop at Big Rapids on his Grand Rapids to Harbor Springs route, “providing a suitable landing field is purchased and placed in shape”.
• The closest airport to Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) is Nartron Field (RCT), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) N of WBR.