Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Merauke, Papua, Indonesia:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(8°31'13"S by 140°25'5"E)
Distance from MER to MKQ:
7,068.40 miles (11,375.45 km)
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- MKQ Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about MKQ
- 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 MKQ
- List of Nearest Airports to MKQ
- Map of Furthest Airports from MKQ
- List of Furthest Airports from MKQ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Mopah Airport (MKQ), Merauke, Papua, Indonesia would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,068 miles (or 11,375 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 Mopah 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 Mopah 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: | MKQ / WAKK |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Merauke, Papua, Indonesia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 8°31'13"S by 140°25'5"E |
| Area Served: | Merauke |
| Operator/Owner: | Rajawali Corpora |
| Airport Type: | Public/Private |
| Elevation: | 10 feet (3 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MKQ |
| More Information: | MKQ Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (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.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
Facts about Mopah Airport (MKQ):
- The closest airport to Mopah Airport (MKQ) is Bensbach Airport (BSP), which is located 62 miles (99 kilometers) ESE of MKQ.
- Because of Mopah Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Mopah 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 "Mopah Airport", another name for MKQ is "Bandara Mopah".
- The furthest airport from Mopah Airport (MKQ) is Parnaíba–Prefeito Dr. João Silva Filho International Airport (PHB), which is located 11,634 miles (18,724 kilometers) away in Parnaiba, Piaui, Brazil.
- Mopah Airport (MKQ) 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 | 61.75 miles (99.37 km) ESE | Bensbach Airport (BSP) | Bensbach, Papua New Guinea | |
| 2 | 89.26 miles (143.65 km) NE | Obo Airport (OBX) | Obo, Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guinea | |
| 3 | 99.71 miles (160.47 km) NNE | Bosset Airport (BOT) | Boset, Papua New Guinea | |
| 4 | 99.95 miles (160.86 km) NE | Aiambak Airport (AIH) | Aiambak, Papua New Guinea | |
| 5 | 109.61 miles (176.39 km) NNW | Bade Airport (BXD) | Bade, Indonesia | |
| 6 | 127.73 miles (205.56 km) NE | Lake Murray Airport (LMY) | Lake Murray, Papua New Guinea | |
| 7 | 132.29 miles (212.91 km) ESE | Boigu Island Airport (GIC) | Boigu Island, Queensland, Australia | |
| 8 | 163.28 miles (262.78 km) ENE | Awaba Airport (AWB) | Awaba, Papua New Guinea | |
| 9 | 164.38 miles (264.55 km) SE | Badu Island Airport (BDD) | Badu Island, Queensland, Australia | |
| 10 | 170.33 miles (274.12 km) SE | Kubin Airport (KUG) | Kubin, Moa Island, Queensland, Australia | |
| 11 | 175.85 miles (283.00 km) NNE | Atkamba Airport (ABP) | Atkamba, Papua New Guinea | |
| 12 | 178.74 miles (287.65 km) ENE | Sasereme Airport (TDS) | Sasereme, Papua New Guinea | |
| 13 | 186.18 miles (299.63 km) ESE | Yam Island Airport (XMY) | Yam Island, Queensland, Australia | |
| 14 | 191.42 miles (308.05 km) SE | Horn Island Airport (HID) | Horn Island, Queensland, Australia | |
| 15 | 194.44 miles (312.92 km) ESE | Daru Airport (DAU) | Daru, Western Province, Papua New Guinea | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,634.45 miles (18,723.78 km) N | Parnaíba–Prefeito Dr. João Silva Filho International Airport (PHB) | Parnaiba, Piaui, Brazil | |
| 2 | 11,626.61 miles (18,711.17 km) NNE | Barreirinhas Airport (BRB) | Barreirinhas, Maranhão, Brazil | |
| 3 | 11,605.07 miles (18,676.50 km) NNE | Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport (Tirirical) (SLZ) | São Luís, Brazil | |
| 4 | 11,584.15 miles (18,642.83 km) N | Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport (FOR) | Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil | |
| 5 | 11,523.41 miles (18,545.09 km) ENE | Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport (CAY) | Cayenne, French Guiana | |
| 6 | 11,518.19 miles (18,536.68 km) NE | Belém/Val de Cans–Júlio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport (BEL) | Belém, Pará, Brazil | |
| 7 | 11,476.84 miles (18,470.14 km) N | Gov. Dix-Sept Rosado Airport (MVF) | Mossoro, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil | |
| 8 | 11,472.22 miles (18,462.70 km) NNE | Teresina–Senador Petrônio Portella Airport (THE) | Teresina, Piauí, Brazil | |
| 9 | 11,453.01 miles (18,431.78 km) NE | Macapá-Alberto Alcolumbre International Airport (MCP) | Macapá, Amapá, Brazil | |
| 10 | 11,449.88 miles (18,426.76 km) NNW | Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) | Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 11 | 11,441.64 miles (18,413.49 km) ENE | Saül Airport (XAU) | Saül, French Guiana | |
| 12 | 11,423.31 miles (18,383.99 km) E | Albina Airstrip (ABN) | Albina, Suriname | |
| 13 | 11,396.16 miles (18,340.29 km) NNW | Augusto Severo International Airport (NAT) | Natal, Brazil | |
| 14 | 11,388.68 miles (18,328.26 km) ENE | Maripasoula Airport (MPY) | Maripasoula, French Guiana | |
| 15 | 11,378.54 miles (18,311.95 km) ENE | Stoelmans Eiland Airstrip (SMZ) | Stoelmans Eiland, Suriname | |