Nonstop flight route between Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand and Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ), Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand and Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB), Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,598 miles (or 13,837 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 Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base, 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 Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base. 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):

• 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 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.
• New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority has recently approved the airport after identifying approach obstruction issues.
• Interest in providing commercial flights at Paraparaumu reignited because the Kapiti coast is one of New Zealand's fastest growing regional centres.
• The closest airport to Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) is Wellington International Airport (WLG), which is located 31 miles (49 kilometers) SSW of PPQ.
• Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) has 3 runways.
• On 17 February 2008, above an adjacent hardware store, Placemakers, there was a triple-fatality mid-air collision between a Cessna 152 and a helicopter, both of which plummeted from approximately 1500 ft, the helicopter into the store and the plane into a nearby street.
• 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.
• Originally government-owned, the Kapiti Coast Airport was the greater Wellington region's main airport until Wellington International Airport re-opened in 1959.
• 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.

Facts about Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB):

• In addition to being known as "Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base", other names for SPB include "St. Thomas Seaplane Base" and "VI22".
• The closest airport to Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB) is Cyril E. King Airport (STT), which is located only 2 miles (3 kilometers) W of SPB.
• Because of Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base 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.
• Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is nearly antipodal to Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (meaning Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Barrow Island Airport), and is located 12,261 miles (19,732 kilometers) away in Barrow Island, Western Australia, Australia.