Nonstop flight route between Merced, California, United States and Muang Xay, Laos:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Merced Regional Airport (MCE), Merced, California, United States and Oudomsay Airport (ODY), Muang Xay, Laos would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,570 miles (or 12,182 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 Merced Regional Airport and Oudomsay 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 Merced Regional Airport and Oudomsay 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 Merced Regional Airport (MCE):

• On May 15, 2011 Great Lakes Airlines commenced daily service to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, with a stop in Visalia, California.
• Merced Regional Airport (MCE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Merced Regional Airport covers 766 acres at an elevation of 155 feet above mean sea level.
• The closest airport to Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Castle Airport (MER), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNW of MCE.
• In 1946 United Airlines built offices and a terminal building and began one Douglas DC-3 flight each way a day.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Merced Regional Airport", another name for MCE is "MacReady Field".
• 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.
• 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.
• On March 6, 2009 the city council voted to change the name from Merced Municipal Airport to Merced Regional Airport.

Facts about Oudomsay Airport (ODY):

• In addition to being known as "Oudomsay Airport", another name for ODY is "VL0S".
• The closest airport to Oudomsay Airport (ODY) is Louangnamtha Airport (LXG), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) WNW of ODY.
• Because of Oudomsay Airport's relatively low elevation of 509 feet, planes can take off or land at Oudomsay 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 Oudomsay Airport (ODY) is Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC), which is located 11,987 miles (19,291 kilometers) away in Nazca, Ica Region, Peru.