Nonstop flight route between Merced, California, United States and Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from MCE to AFF:
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- About this route
- MCE Airport Information
- AFF Airport Information
- Facts about MCE
- Facts about AFF
- Map of Nearest Airports to MCE
- List of Nearest Airports to MCE
- Map of Furthest Airports from MCE
- List of Furthest Airports from MCE
- Map of Nearest Airports to AFF
- List of Nearest Airports to AFF
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- List of Furthest Airports from AFF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Merced Regional Airport (MCE), Merced, California, United States and United States Air Force Academy (AFF), Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 858 miles (or 1,381 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 Merced Regional Airport and United States Air Force Academy, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MCE / KMCE |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Merced, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°17'4"N by 120°30'50"W |
Area Served: | Merced, California |
Operator/Owner: | City of Merced |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 155 feet (47 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from MCE |
More Information: | MCE Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | AFF / KAFF |
Airport Name: | United States Air Force Academy |
Location: | Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 38°59'25"N by 104°51'29"W |
View all routes: | Routes from AFF |
More Information: | AFF Maps & Info |
Facts about Merced Regional Airport (MCE):
- In addition to being known as "Merced Regional Airport", another name for MCE is "MacReady Field".
- Merced Regional Airport (MCE) currently has only 1 runway.
- United's DC-3s were replaced by Convair 340s and Douglas DC-6s, and eventually by Boeing 737-200 jetliners in 1968-69.
- The closest airport to Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Castle Airport (MER), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNW of MCE.
- In 1941 construction delays at the Air Corps Basic Flying School site forced the Army to lease the original Merced Municipal Airport, resulting in the first aircraft assigned to the Air Corps Basic Flying School being stored at Merced Municipal Airport and giving the Basic Flying School its first usable axillary field.
- The airport was formerly served by Air Pacific, American Eagle, Golden Gate Airlines, United Airlines, United Express and US Airways Express.
- The airport had 3,724 passenger boardings in 2012, an increase of 17% from the previous calendar year.
- Merced Regional Airport covers 766 acres at an elevation of 155 feet above mean sea level.
- The furthest airport from Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,314 miles (18,209 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- Because of Merced Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 155 feet, planes can take off or land at Merced Regional 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 United States Air Force Academy (AFF):
- The furthest airport from United States Air Force Academy (AFF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,934 miles (17,596 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- To reinforce the importance of honor, character and integrity to future officers, cadets are given an extensive character and leadership curriculum.
- The early Air Force Academy leadership faced monumental tasks, including the development of an appropriate curriculum, establishment of a faculty, design of a distinctive cadet uniform, oversight of the construction of the permanent site, and the creation of a structure for military and flight training.
- The ‘‘Core Values Ramp’‘ leads down from the main Terrazzo level toward the parade field.
- Prior to the Academy's establishment, air power advocates had been pushing for a separate air force academy for decades.
- The closest airport to United States Air Force Academy (AFF) is City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) SSE of AFF.
- In developing a distinctive uniform for cadets, Secretary of the Air Force Harold Talbott was looking for "imagination" in the design.
- The cadet social center is Arnold Hall, located just outside the Cadet Area, which houses a 3000-seat theater, a ballroom, a number of lounges, and dining and recreation facilities for cadets and visitors.
- The buildings in the Cadet Area were designed in a distinct, modernist style, and make extensive use of aluminum on building exteriors, suggesting the outer skin of aircraft or spacecraft.