Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Gweru, Zimbabwe:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(19°26'11"S by 29°51'42"E)
Distance from MER to GWE:
10,268.85 miles (16,526.07 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- GWE Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about GWE
- 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 GWE
- List of Nearest Airports to GWE
- Map of Furthest Airports from GWE
- List of Furthest Airports from GWE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE), Gweru, Zimbabwe would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,269 miles (or 16,526 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 Gweru-Thornhill Air Base, 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 Gweru-Thornhill Air Base. 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: | GWE / FVTL |
| Airport Name: | Gweru-Thornhill Air Base |
| Location: | Gweru, Zimbabwe |
| GPS Coordinates: | 19°26'11"S by 29°51'42"E |
| Airport Type: | Military |
| Elevation: | 4680 feet (1,426 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GWE |
| More Information: | GWE Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- 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.
- 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.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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.
Facts about Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE):
- Because of Gweru-Thornhill Air Base's high elevation of 4,680 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at GWE. Combined with a high temperature, this could make GWE a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The closest airport to Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) is Masvingo Airport (MVZ), which is located 78 miles (125 kilometers) ESE of GWE.
- The furthest airport from Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is nearly antipodal to Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (meaning Gweru-Thornhill Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Hilo International Airport), and is located 12,117 miles (19,500 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.
- Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) has 2 runways.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.26 miles (11.68 km) SSE | Merced Regional Airport (MCE) | Merced, California, United States |     |
| 2 | 27.12 miles (43.65 km) NW | Modesto City-County Airport (MOD) | Modesto, California, United States | |
| 3 | 27.51 miles (44.27 km) SW | Los Banos Municipal Airport (LSN) | Los Banos, California, United States | |
| 4 | 29.78 miles (47.92 km) W | NASA Crows Landing Airport (NRC) | Crows Landing, California, United States | |
| 5 | 36.91 miles (59.40 km) SE | Madera Municipal Airport (MAE) | Madera, California, United States | |
| 6 | 45.69 miles (73.53 km) N | Columbia Airport (COA) | Columbia, California, United States | |
| 7 | 51.03 miles (82.13 km) NW | Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) | Stockton, California, United States | |
| 8 | 57.32 miles (92.24 km) SW | Hollister Municipal Airport (HLI) | Hollister, California, United States | |
| 9 | 60.88 miles (97.98 km) SE | Fresno Chandler Executive AirportChandler Municipal Airport (Old) (FCH) | Fresno, California, United States | |
| 10 | 62.71 miles (100.91 km) SE | Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) | Fresno, California, United States | |
| 11 | 68.82 miles (110.76 km) W | Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV) | San Jose, California, United States | |
| 12 | 71.93 miles (115.77 km) WNW | Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) | Livermore, California, United States | |
| 13 | 73.96 miles (119.02 km) WSW | Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI) | Watsonville, California, United States | |
| 14 | 74.75 miles (120.29 km) W | Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) | San Jose, California, United States | |
| 15 | 75.76 miles (121.93 km) SW | Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) | Salinas, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,311.72 miles (18,204.41 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 2 | 11,301.64 miles (18,188.18 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 3 | 11,273.49 miles (18,142.87 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 4 | 11,260.93 miles (18,122.66 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 5 | 11,205.02 miles (18,032.69 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 11,196.39 miles (18,018.79 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 7 | 11,137.28 miles (17,923.67 km) SSE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,111.96 miles (17,882.92 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,011.03 miles (17,720.49 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,008.37 miles (17,716.22 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 10,993.21 miles (17,691.82 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 10,972.89 miles (17,659.11 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 10,963.56 miles (17,644.10 km) SSE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,945.21 miles (17,614.56 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 10,920.84 miles (17,575.35 km) SE | Belo sur Tsiribihina Airport (BMD) | Belo sur Tsiribihina, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 77.66 miles (124.99 km) ESE | Masvingo Airport (MVZ) | Masvingo, Zimbabwe | |
| 2 | 90.32 miles (145.36 km) WSW | Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) | Bulawayo, Zimbabwe | |
| 3 | 131.52 miles (211.66 km) NE | Harare International Airport (HRE) | Harare, Zimbabwe | |
| 4 | 155.49 miles (250.24 km) SE | Buffalo Range Airport (BFO) | Chiredzi, Zimbabwe | |
| 5 | 182.94 miles (294.42 km) E | Mutare Airport (UTA) | Mutare, Zimbabwe | |
| 6 | 187.55 miles (301.83 km) ESE | Chipinge Airport (CHJ) | Chipinge, Zimbabwe | |
| 7 | 193.73 miles (311.78 km) WNW | Hwange National Park Airport (HWN) | Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe | |
| 8 | 195.21 miles (314.16 km) SW | Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base (FRW) | Francistown, Botswana | |
| 9 | 211.50 miles (340.38 km) NNW | Kariba Airport (KAB) | Kariba, Zimbabwe | |
| 10 | 233.47 miles (375.74 km) E | Chimoio Airport (VPY) | Chimoio, Mozambique | |
| 11 | 278.99 miles (448.99 km) WNW | Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) | Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe | |
| 12 | 287.01 miles (461.90 km) WNW | Livingstone Airport (LVI) | Livingstone, Zambia | |
| 13 | 298.51 miles (480.41 km) NNW | Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) | Lusaka, Zambia | |
| 14 | 305.72 miles (492.01 km) S | Polokwane International Airport (PTG) | Polokwane, South Africa | |
| 15 | 321.82 miles (517.93 km) SSE | Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW) | Phalaborwa, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,116.56 miles (19,499.66 km) E | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 12,075.02 miles (19,432.82 km) E | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 12,072.70 miles (19,429.08 km) E | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 12,060.58 miles (19,409.57 km) E | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 12,051.70 miles (19,395.29 km) E | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 12,044.18 miles (19,383.19 km) ENE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 12,016.40 miles (19,338.48 km) ENE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 12,000.16 miles (19,312.33 km) ENE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,985.07 miles (19,288.05 km) ENE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,977.30 miles (19,275.55 km) ENE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,970.59 miles (19,264.75 km) ENE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,916.18 miles (19,177.18 km) ENE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,916.18 miles (19,177.18 km) ENE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,907.08 miles (19,162.55 km) ENE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,906.16 miles (19,161.05 km) ENE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |