Nonstop flight route between Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States and Atwater, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,318 miles (or 2,121 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 relatively short distance between Sioux Falls Regional Airport and Castle Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD):

• Sioux Falls Regional Airport, also known as Joe Foss Field, is a public and military use airport owned by the Sioux Falls Regional Airport Authority and located three nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Sioux Falls, a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States.
• The closest airport to Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) is Madison Municipal Airport (XMD), which is located 35 miles (56 kilometers) NNW of FSD.
• Sioux Falls Regional Airport was originally the Sioux Falls Army Air Base constructed during World War II and closed permanently in the mid-1960s.
• Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) has 3 runways.
• FSD has public Wi-Fi available provided by Midcontinent Communications.
• The furthest airport from Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,610 miles (17,075 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Sioux Falls Regional Airport", another name for FSD is "Joe Foss Field".
• This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport since it has over 10,000 passenger boardings per year.

Facts about Castle Airport (MER):

• Since the mid-1940s, aircraft maintenance, fuel management, and fire training activities on the base have generated wastes that consist primarily of waste fuels, oils, solvents, and cleaners.
• Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• In 2004, recommendations were made to relocate the 129th Rescue Wing of the California Air National Guard and its associated HC-130, MC-130 and HH-60 aircraft from Moffett Federal Airfield to the former Castle Air Force Base, now Castle Airport.
• Because of Castle Airport's relatively low elevation of 191 feet, planes can take off or land at Castle 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.
• Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• It was estimated that the cost to relocate the 129 RQW to Castle, to include associated military construction costs, could be recouped in seven years.