Nonstop flight route between Stewart Island, New Zealand and Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), Stewart Island, New Zealand and Lethbridge Airport (YQL), Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,167 miles (or 13,144 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 Ryan's Creek Aerodrome and Lethbridge 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 Ryan's Creek Aerodrome and Lethbridge 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 Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS):

• In 1990 a hill at one end of the strip was leveled.
• Because of Ryan's Creek Aerodrome's relatively low elevation of 288 feet, planes can take off or land at Ryan's Creek Aerodrome 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.
• Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) is A Coruña Airport (LCG), which is nearly antipodal to Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (meaning Ryan's Creek Aerodrome is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from A Coruña Airport), and is located 12,135 miles (19,529 kilometers) away in A Coruña, Spain.
• The closest airport to Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) is Invercargill Airport (IVC), which is located 35 miles (57 kilometers) NNE of SZS.
• In the mid-1980s Stewart Island Air Services changed its name to Southern Air Limited with Keith Smith, Joe Cave, Bill Haslett and Sam Nicol as shareholders.
• The airport is at an elevation of 288 feet above mean sea level.

Facts about Lethbridge Airport (YQL):

• The airport is a Canadian Air Transport Security Authority Designated Aerodrome, thus providing full passenger screening.
• On 23 July 2010, a Canadian Air Force McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet crashed during a practice run for the upcoming Alberta International Airshow.
• Lethbridge Airport (YQL) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Lethbridge Airport (YQL) is Pincher Creek Airport (WPC), which is located 54 miles (87 kilometers) W of YQL.
• Originally known as Kenyon Field, this aerodrome began passenger services in October 1938, but officially opened in June 1939.
• In 1947, the RCAF's mess hall was converted by the Department of Transportation into an Air Terminal Building, which was replaced by the current facility in 1979.
• The furthest airport from Lethbridge Airport (YQL) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,420 miles (16,770 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.