Nonstop flight route between Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand and Darwaz, Badakhshan, Afghanistan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ), Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand and Darwaz Airport (DAZ), Darwaz, Badakhshan, Afghanistan would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,531 miles (or 13,729 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 Kapiti Coast Airport and Darwaz 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 Kapiti Coast Airport and Darwaz 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 Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ):

• Originally government-owned, the Kapiti Coast Airport was the greater Wellington region's main airport until Wellington International Airport re-opened in 1959.
• This re-development was spurred by interest from Air New Zealand to operate Q300 aircraft.
• 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.
• 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.
• Constructed by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in July 1939 using equipment from Whenuapai, Paraparaumu was made available as an "Emergency Airport" by the government.
• The closest airport to Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) is Wellington International Airport (WLG), which is located 31 miles (49 kilometers) SSW of PPQ.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Darwaz Airport (DAZ):

• In addition to being known as "Darwaz Airport", another name for DAZ is "Darwaz Airport (Darwaz)".
• The closest airport to Darwaz Airport (DAZ) is Khwahan Airport (KWH), which is located 54 miles (87 kilometers) SW of DAZ.
• Darwaz Airport (DAZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Darwaz Airport (DAZ) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is located 11,656 miles (18,759 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
• Because of Darwaz Airport's high elevation of 4,331 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at DAZ. Combined with a high temperature, this could make DAZ a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.