Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Choibalsan, Mongolia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Choibalsan Airport (COQ), Choibalsan, Mongolia would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,624 miles (or 9,051 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 Castle Airport and Choibalsan 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 Castle Airport and Choibalsan 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 Castle Airport (MER):

• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of 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 Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
• The EPA currently has this base listed on their database due to the bulk wastes such as solvents, oils, fuels, and sludges which were disposed in pits at landfills around the base until 1977.
• 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.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Choibalsan Airport (COQ):

• Choibalsan Airport (COQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Choibalsan Airport (COQ) is Puerto Deseado Airport (PUD), which is nearly antipodal to Choibalsan Airport (meaning Choibalsan Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Puerto Deseado Airport), and is located 12,399 miles (19,955 kilometers) away in Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.
• The closest airport to Choibalsan Airport (COQ) is Hulunbuir Hailar Airport (HLD), which is located 248 miles (398 kilometers) ENE of COQ.
• Choibalsan Airport handled 6,200 passengers last year.