Nonstop flight route between Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand and Detroit, Michigan, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ), Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand and Coleman A. Young International Airport (DET), Detroit, Michigan, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,560 miles (or 13,776 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 Coleman A. Young International 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 Coleman A. Young International 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):

• 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.
• Originally government-owned, the Kapiti Coast Airport was the greater Wellington region's main airport until Wellington International Airport re-opened in 1959.
• The closest airport to Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) is Wellington International Airport (WLG), which is located 31 miles (49 kilometers) SSW of PPQ.
• In 1949 a Lockheed Lodestar from Whenuapai crashed into the Tararua Range.
• 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.
• Interest in providing commercial flights at Paraparaumu reignited because the Kapiti coast is one of New Zealand's fastest growing regional centres.
• In early 2007, the airport was sold by its first private owners to property developer Noel Robinson for NZ$40 million.
• The Kapiti Aero Club is based at the airport, along with other private fliers and charter businesses.
• On 6 November 1970, Douglas C-47B ZK-AXS of the Ministry of Transport was damaged beyond economic repair during a downwind simulated takeoff, when the undercarriage collapsed.
• Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) has 3 runways.

Facts about Coleman A. Young International Airport (DET):

• The closest airport to Coleman A. Young International Airport (DET) is Windsor International Airport (YQG), which is located only 10 miles (15 kilometers) SSE of DET.
• Because of Coleman A. Young International Airport's relatively low elevation of 626 feet, planes can take off or land at Coleman A. Young International 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.
• Coleman A. Young International Airport (DET) has 2 runways.
• The airport was once served by Southwest Airlines and Chautauqua Airlines which left after less than one year of service.Spirit Airlines planned service to the airport using McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 aircraft in 1995, but the service never began.Pro Air, a commercial passenger airline, was based at the airport and grounded by the FAA due to poor maintenance performance.
• Until around 1965 the airport boasted a gas tank 330 ft tall at 42.40817N 83.00926W NAD83, less than 630 ft west of the centerline of runway 15/33.
• The furthest airport from Coleman A. Young International Airport (DET) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,295 miles (18,178 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.