Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Kermanshah, Iran:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(34°20'45"N by 47°9'29"E)
Distance from MER to KSH:
7,418.62 miles (11,939.09 km)
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- KSH Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about KSH
- 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 KSH
- List of Nearest Airports to KSH
- Map of Furthest Airports from KSH
- List of Furthest Airports from KSH
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani Airport (KSH), Kermanshah, Iran would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,419 miles (or 11,939 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 Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani 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 Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani 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: | KSH / OICC |
| Airport Name: | Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani Airport |
| Location: | Kermanshah, Iran |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°20'45"N by 47°9'29"E |
| Elevation: | 4301 feet (1,311 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from KSH |
| More Information: | KSH Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (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.
- 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.
- 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.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- 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 Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani Airport (KSH):
- Because of Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani Airport's high elevation of 4,301 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at KSH. Combined with a high temperature, this could make KSH a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The closest airport to Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani Airport (KSH) is Hamadan Airport (HDM), which is located 87 miles (140 kilometers) ENE of KSH.
- The furthest airport from Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani Airport (KSH) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,649 miles (18,747 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
- Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani Airport (KSH) currently has only 1 runway.
| 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 | 87.15 miles (140.25 km) ENE | Hamadan Airport (HDM) | Hamadan, Iran | |
| 2 | 90.10 miles (145.01 km) SE | Khorramabad Airport (KHD) | Khorramabad, Iran | |
| 3 | 133.97 miles (215.60 km) NW | Sulaimaniyah International Airport (ISU) | Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan, Iraq | |
| 4 | 150.18 miles (241.69 km) SSE | Dezful Airport (DEF) | Dezful, Iran | |
| 5 | 183.78 miles (295.76 km) WSW | Baghdad International Airport (BGW) | Baghdad, Iraq | |
| 6 | 183.78 miles (295.76 km) WSW | Baghdad International Airport (SDA) | Baghdad, Iraq | |
| 7 | 222.58 miles (358.20 km) NW | Erbil International Airport (EBL) | Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq | |
| 8 | 227.72 miles (366.48 km) SW | Al Najaf International Airport (NJF) | Al Najaf, Iraq | |
| 9 | 227.75 miles (366.52 km) SSE | Ahwaz International Airport (AWZ) | Ahwaz, Iran | |
| 10 | 238.14 miles (383.24 km) ENE | Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) | Tehran, Iran | |
| 11 | 252.77 miles (406.79 km) ENE | Mehrabad Airport (THR) | Tehran, Iran | |
| 12 | 255.46 miles (411.12 km) ESE | Shahrekord International Airport (CQD) | Shahrekord, Iran | |
| 13 | 263.99 miles (424.84 km) S | Basrah International AirportBasrah Airport (BSR) | Basrah, Iraq | |
| 14 | 266.73 miles (429.26 km) N | Tabriz International Airport (TBZ) | Tabriz, Iran | |
| 15 | 279.22 miles (449.36 km) SSE | Omidiyeh Air Base (OMI) | Omidiyeh, Iran | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,648.98 miles (18,747.17 km) S | Totegegie Airport (GMR) | Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 2 | 11,436.05 miles (18,404.49 km) SSE | Tureira Airport (ZTA) | Tureia, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 3 | 11,334.45 miles (18,240.98 km) SSE | Nukutavake Airport (NUK) | Nukutavake, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 4 | 11,298.42 miles (18,183.00 km) SSE | Pukarua Airport (PUK) | Pukarua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 5 | 11,206.67 miles (18,035.34 km) SSE | Hao Airport (HOI) | Hao, Tuamotu Island, French Polynesia | |
| 6 | 11,062.69 miles (17,803.62 km) SSE | Fangatau Airport (FGU) | Fangatau, French Polynesia | |
| 7 | 11,046.00 miles (17,776.77 km) ESE | Rurutu Airport (RUR) | Rurutu, French Polynesia | |
| 8 | 11,038.96 miles (17,765.44 km) SSE | Makemo Airport (MKP) | Makemo, French Polynesia | |
| 9 | 11,038.20 miles (17,764.21 km) SSE | Raroia Airport (RRR) | Raroia, French Polynesia | |
| 10 | 11,025.56 miles (17,743.87 km) SE | Anaa Airport (AAA) | Anaa, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 11 | 10,964.53 miles (17,645.65 km) WSW | Mataveri International Airport (IPC) | Easter Island, Chile | |
| 12 | 10,943.64 miles (17,612.03 km) SE | Fakarava Airport (FAV) | Fakarava, Society Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 13 | 10,889.56 miles (17,525.01 km) SE | Apataki Airport (APK) | Apataki, French Polynesia | |
| 14 | 10,882.38 miles (17,513.46 km) SE | Fa'a'ā International Airport (PPT) | Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia | |
| 15 | 10,872.56 miles (17,497.64 km) SE | Moorea Airport (MOZ) | Moorea, Windward Islands, French Polynesia | |