Nonstop flight route between Kieta, Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea and Big Rapids, Michigan, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kieta/Aropa Airport (KIE), Kieta, Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea and Roben-Hood Airport (WBR), Big Rapids, Michigan, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,941 miles (or 12,781 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 Kieta/Aropa 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 Kieta/Aropa 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 Kieta/Aropa Airport (KIE):

• On 13 February 2012, Papua New Guinea Post-Courier reported that the landowners had announced their intention to reopen the airport.
• After World War II the airport became one of Bougainville's main airports.
• In addition to being known as "Kieta/Aropa Airport", another name for KIE is "AYIQ".
• Nowadays the airfield is disused and overgrown with bush.
• The furthest airport from Kieta/Aropa Airport (KIE) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,844 miles (19,061 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
• The closest airport to Kieta/Aropa Airport (KIE) is Balalae Airport (BAS), which is located 49 miles (79 kilometers) SSE of KIE.
• Kieta/Aropa Airport (KIE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Kieta/Aropa Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Kieta/Aropa 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.

Facts about Roben-Hood Airport (WBR):

• The closest airport to Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) is Nartron Field (RCT), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) N of WBR.
• In mid 1941, the Civil Aeronautics Authority was still considering the airport as an “auxiliary field” according to Earl Bender, airport manager.
• Nothing appears in the paper again until November 1970 when there was agreement between city officials, Ferris personnel, County officials, and IDC members, to improve the airport, including a 5000 runway, and the Brewer Engineering firm was hired to affect a feasibility study.
• Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) has 2 runways.
• 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".
• On Sunday, July 27, 20 planes were entered in several entertaining events including speed races before an estimated crowd of 7500!
• 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”.
• 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.