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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Milford Sound Airport (MFN), Milford Sound, New Zealand and Roben-Hood Airport (WBR), Big Rapids, Michigan, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,929 miles (or 14,370 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 Milford Sound 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 Milford Sound 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 Milford Sound Airport (MFN):

• The furthest airport from Milford Sound Airport (MFN) is A Coruña Airport (LCG), which is nearly antipodal to Milford Sound Airport (meaning Milford Sound Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from A Coruña Airport), and is located 12,230 miles (19,682 kilometers) away in A Coruña, Spain.
• Milford Sound Airport (MFN) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Milford Sound Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Milford Sound 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 closest airport to Milford Sound Airport (MFN) is Queenstown Airport (ZQN), which is located 47 miles (75 kilometers) ESE of MFN.
• Weather permitting, there is substantial daily charter traffic of light aircraft to and from Queenstown, Wanaka and Te Anau and on sightseeing trips.
• On 17 November 1938, a Southland Airway’s Puss Moth piloted by Arthur Bradshaw made the first landing in at Milford Sound.

Facts about Roben-Hood Airport (WBR):

• On Sunday, July 27, 20 planes were entered in several entertaining events including speed races before an estimated crowd of 7500!
• In mid 1941, the Civil Aeronautics Authority was still considering the airport as an “auxiliary field” according to Earl Bender, airport manager.
• In addition to being known as "Roben-Hood Airport", another name for WBR is "RQB".
• Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) has 2 runways.
• 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 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.
• 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 closest airport to Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) is Nartron Field (RCT), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) N of WBR.
• In contrast to this decline, a new contingent of aviators became active at the airport, and increased the level of interest in that facility.