Nonstop flight route between Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand and Yakima, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ), Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand and Vagabond Army Heliport (closed to fixed-wing aircraft) (FCT), Yakima, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,233 miles (or 11,640 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 Vagabond Army Heliport (closed to fixed-wing aircraft), 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 Vagabond Army Heliport (closed to fixed-wing aircraft). 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):

• Re-development proposals involve closing 11/29, with a parallel grass runway as the only crosswind runway.
• The closest airport to Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) is Wellington International Airport (WLG), which is located 31 miles (49 kilometers) SSW of 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Paraparaumu was judged unsuitable for international operations in the 1950s due to Kapiti Island to the near west and the Tararua Ranges barely a mile east infringing the take-off and landing flightpaths.
• 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.
• Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) has 3 runways.
• 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.

Facts about Vagabond Army Heliport (closed to fixed-wing aircraft) (FCT):

• The closest airport to Vagabond Army Heliport (closed to fixed-wing aircraft) (FCT) is Yakima Air Terminal (YKM), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) SSW of FCT.
• Vagabond Army Heliport (closed to fixed-wing aircraft) (FCT) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Vagabond Army Heliport (closed to fixed-wing aircraft) (FCT) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,789 miles (17,363 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.