Nonstop flight route between Wanganui, New Zealand and Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Wanganui Airport (WAG), Wanganui, New Zealand and Biggs Army Airfield (BIF), Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,057 miles (or 11,357 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 Wanganui Airport and Biggs Army Airfield, 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 Wanganui Airport and Biggs Army Airfield. 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 Wanganui Airport (WAG):

• The closest airport to Wanganui Airport (WAG) is Palmerston North Airport (PMR), which is located 40 miles (64 kilometers) SE of WAG.
• Wanganui Airport (WAG) has 5 runways.
• Because of Wanganui Airport's relatively low elevation of 27 feet, planes can take off or land at Wanganui 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.
• The furthest airport from Wanganui Airport (WAG) is Salamanca-Matacán Airport (SLM), which is nearly antipodal to Wanganui Airport (meaning Wanganui Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Salamanca-Matacán Airport), and is located 12,363 miles (19,896 kilometers) away in Salamanca, Spain.

Facts about Biggs Army Airfield (BIF):

• After World War II, B-29 Superfortress personnel replacement training ended in October.
• Prior to the takeover of Biggs by SAC in October 1948, it had previously moved the B-29 Superfortress-equipped 97th Bombardment Group to the base in May.
• The closest airport to Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) is El Paso International Airport (ELP), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) S of BIF.
• Enough construction was completed by the late summer of 1942, to allow the 303d Bombardment Group to began training with B-17Fs under Second Air Force on 7 August.
• Beginning in 1950, the 97th Bomb Wing received its first B-50 Superfortress, an improved version of the B-29 capable of delivering atomic weapons.
• Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) currently has only 1 runway.
• In August 1953, the first B-36D arrived at Biggs, although the majority of aircraft received were the later-model B-36J-III models with a higher operational ceiling, strengthened landing gear, increased fuel capacity, armament reduced to tail guns only and reduced crew.
• The 97th operated B-29s from Biggs, and participated in numerous exercises, operational readiness inspections, and overseas deployments.
• Between the two World Wars, Biggs served as a refueling stop for transient aircraft.
• The furthest airport from Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,387 miles (18,325 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In addition to being known as "Biggs Army Airfield", another name for BIF is "Biggs Air Force BaseBiggs Field".