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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE), Napier, New Zealand and Roben-Hood Airport (WBR), Big Rapids, Michigan, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,353 miles (or 13,442 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 Hawke's Bay 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 Hawke's Bay 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 Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE):

• In November 2013 - Hawkes Bay Airport announced advanced planning to further lengthen its main runway from 1750m to 1940m no later than 2018 and a significant terminal expansion and redevelopment to cope with significantly higher than projected annual increases in passengers numbers through the airport.
• Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) has 3 runways.
• A smaller airport is located near Hastings called Hastings Aerodrome, which is primarily used for flight training and recreational aviation.
• Hawke's Bay Airport handled 451,128 passengers last year.
• Hawke's Bay Airport is Hawke's Bay's main commercial airport serving domestic flights to the main centres of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch as well as smaller centres such as Gisborne, Tauranga, Hamilton and Rotorua.
• The furthest airport from Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) is Ciudad Real Central Airport (CQM), which is nearly antipodal to Hawke's Bay Airport (meaning Hawke's Bay Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ciudad Real Central Airport), and is located 12,375 miles (19,916 kilometers) away in Ciudad Real, Spain.
• Because of Hawke's Bay Airport's relatively low elevation of 7 feet, planes can take off or land at Hawke's Bay 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 Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) is Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO), which is located 66 miles (106 kilometers) NW of NPE.

Facts about Roben-Hood Airport (WBR):

• Roben-Hood Airport is a public airport located two miles northwest of the central business district of Big Rapids, a city in Mecosta County, Michigan, United States.
• In 1940, some woods were removed on the northwest portion that allowed an increase of 400 feet to the “EIW” runway to 2400 feet.
• The closest airport to Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) is Nartron Field (RCT), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) N of WBR.
• As the 20th Century came to an end, several significant events occurred which destined Roben Hood Airport to grow in a negative fashion.
• On July 2, 1930, it was reported that a landing field had been purchased 2 weeks before due to “efforts by the American Legion”.
• In contrast to this decline, a new contingent of aviators became active at the airport, and increased the level of interest in that facility.
• In addition to being known as "Roben-Hood Airport", another name for WBR is "RQB".
• For the next 4 years, there was no reported activity regarding the airport or its users.
• 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.
• Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) has 2 runways.
• In mid 1941, the Civil Aeronautics Authority was still considering the airport as an “auxiliary field” according to Earl Bender, airport manager.
• 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.