Nonstop flight route between Taos, New Mexico, United States and Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Taos Regional Airport (TSM), Taos, New Mexico, United States and Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ), Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,328 miles (or 11,793 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 Taos Regional Airport and Kapiti Coast 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 Taos Regional Airport and Kapiti Coast 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 Taos Regional Airport (TSM):

• Because of Taos Regional Airport's high elevation of 7,095 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at TSM. Combined with a high temperature, this could make TSM a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Taos Regional Airport covers an area of 832 acres at an elevation of 7,095 feet above mean sea level.
• Taos Regional Airport (TSM) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Taos Regional Airport (TSM) is Ohkay Owingeh Airport (ESO), which is located 36 miles (59 kilometers) SW of TSM.
• In addition to being known as "Taos Regional Airport", another name for TSM is "SKX".
• The furthest airport from Taos Regional Airport (TSM) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,106 miles (17,873 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ):

• 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.
• 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.
• Re-development proposals involve closing 11/29, with a parallel grass runway as the only crosswind runway.
• 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 Kapiti Aero Club is based at the airport, along with other private fliers and charter businesses.
• 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.
• 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.