Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Gasmata Island, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from MER to GMI:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- GMI Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about GMI
- Map of Nearest Airports to MER
- List of Nearest Airports to MER
- Map of Furthest Airports from MER
- List of Furthest Airports from MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to GMI
- List of Nearest Airports to GMI
- Map of Furthest Airports from GMI
- List of Furthest Airports from GMI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Gasmata Airport (GMI), Gasmata Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,432 miles (or 10,351 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 Gasmata 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 Gasmata Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MER / KMER |
Airport Name: | Castle Airport |
Location: | Atwater, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W |
Operator/Owner: | Merced County Department of Commerce, Aviation, and Economic Development |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 191 feet (58 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from MER |
More Information: | MER Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | GMI / AYGT |
Airport Name: | Gasmata Airport |
Location: | Gasmata Island, Papua New Guinea |
GPS Coordinates: | 6°16'30"S by 150°19'58"E |
Elevation: | 10 feet (3 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from GMI |
More Information: | GMI Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
- 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.
- EPA investigations have been completed at multiple areas of contamination including landfills, discharge areas, chemical disposal areas, fire training areas, fuel spill areas, and polychlorinated biphenyl spill areas.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- 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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
Facts about Gasmata Airport (GMI):
- The closest airport to Gasmata Airport (GMI) is Kandrian Airport (KDR), which is located 55 miles (88 kilometers) W of GMI.
- Because of Gasmata Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Gasmata 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 Gasmata Airport (GMI) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,746 miles (18,903 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
- Gasmata Airport (GMI) currently has only 1 runway.