Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(22°55'55"S by 43°43'9"W)
Distance from MER to SNZ:
6,495.94 miles (10,454.18 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- SNZ Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about SNZ
- 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 SNZ
- List of Nearest Airports to SNZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from SNZ
- List of Furthest Airports from SNZ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Santa Cruz Air Force Base (SNZ), Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,496 miles (or 10,454 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 Santa Cruz Air Force 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 Santa Cruz Air Force 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: | SNZ / SBSC |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| GPS Coordinates: | 22°55'55"S by 43°43'9"W |
| Area Served: | Rio de Janeiro |
| Operator/Owner: | Brazilian Air Force |
| Airport Type: | Military: Air Force Base |
| Elevation: | 10 feet (3 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SNZ |
| More Information: | SNZ Maps & Info |
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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Santa Cruz Air Force Base (SNZ):
- The furthest airport from Santa Cruz Air Force Base (SNZ) is Central Field (Iwo Jima)Motoyama No. 2Airfield No. 2 (IWO), which is nearly antipodal to Santa Cruz Air Force Base (meaning Santa Cruz Air Force Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Central Field (Iwo Jima)Motoyama No. 2Airfield No. 2), and is located 12,093 miles (19,462 kilometers) away in Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, Japan.
- Santa Cruz Air Force Base (SNZ) currently has only 1 runway.
- On 12 February 1942, six months before Brazil declaring war against the Axis, the airport became a base of the Brazilian Air Force.
- Because of Santa Cruz Air Force Base's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Santa Cruz Air Force Base 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 closest airport to Santa Cruz Air Force Base (SNZ) is Rio de Janeiro/Galeão–Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) ENE of SNZ.
- In addition to being known as "Santa Cruz Air Force Base", another name for SNZ is "Base Aérea de Santa Cruz".
| 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 | 31.00 miles (49.90 km) ENE | Rio de Janeiro/Galeão–Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| 2 | 35.44 miles (57.03 km) E | Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| 3 | 81.54 miles (131.23 km) NNE | Francisco Álvares de Assis Airport (JDF) | Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil | |
| 4 | 104.09 miles (167.52 km) NNE | Presidente Itamar Franco Airport (IZA) | Juiz de Fora, Brazil | |
| 5 | 104.86 miles (168.75 km) E | Cabo Frio International Airport (CFB) | Cabo Frio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| 6 | 112.24 miles (180.64 km) E | Umberto Modiano Airport (BZC) | Búzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| 7 | 131.10 miles (210.99 km) ENE | Benedito Lacerda Airport (MEA) | Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| 8 | 138.31 miles (222.59 km) W | São José dos Campos-Professor Urbano Ernesto Stumpf Airport (SJK) | São José dos Campos, Brazil | |
| 9 | 145.59 miles (234.30 km) NW | Major-Brigadeiro Trompowsky Airport (VAG) | Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil | |
| 10 | 176.04 miles (283.31 km) ENE | Campos–Bartolomeu Lysandro Airport (CAW) | Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| 11 | 178.33 miles (286.99 km) WSW | São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governador André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU) | Guarulhos (near São Paulo), São Paulo (state), Brazil | |
| 12 | 192.48 miles (309.77 km) WSW | São Paulo/Congonhas Airport (CGH) | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| 13 | 203.91 miles (328.15 km) NNW | Brigadeiro Cabral Airport (DIQ) | Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil | |
| 14 | 213.35 miles (343.35 km) N | Belo Horizonte/Pampulha–Carlos Drummond de Andrade Airport (PLU) | Belo Horizonte, Brazil | |
| 15 | 215.76 miles (347.23 km) W | Campo dos Amarais State Airport (CPQ) | Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,093.41 miles (19,462.40 km) WNW | Central Field (Iwo Jima)Motoyama No. 2Airfield No. 2 (IWO) | Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, Japan | |
| 2 | 12,062.39 miles (19,412.48 km) ENE | Minami-Daito Airport (MMD) | Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan | |
| 3 | 12,062.12 miles (19,412.06 km) NE | Kitadaito Airport (KTD) | Kitadaito, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan | |
| 4 | 11,893.62 miles (19,140.87 km) NE | Kikai Airport (KKX) | Kikaiga Shima, Kikai-Shima Island, Japan | |
| 5 | 11,878.80 miles (19,117.03 km) NE | Amami Airport (ASJ) | Amami Island, Japan | |
| 6 | 11,852.58 miles (19,074.84 km) ENE | Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA) | Okinawa Prefecture, Japan | |
| 7 | 11,849.38 miles (19,069.68 km) ENE | Naha Airport (OKA) | Okinawa, Japan | |
| 8 | 11,843.49 miles (19,060.20 km) ENE | Iejima Airport (IEJ) | Iejima, Japan | |
| 9 | 11,829.52 miles (19,037.72 km) ENE | Kerama Airport (KJP) | Kerama Islands, Okinawa, Japan | |
| 10 | 11,816.01 miles (19,015.98 km) NNE | Yakushima Airport (KUM) | Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan | |
| 11 | 11,816.00 miles (19,015.95 km) ENE | Aguni Airport (AGJ) | Aguni, Japan | |
| 12 | 11,751.60 miles (18,912.32 km) NNE | Miyazaki Airport (KMI) | Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan | |
| 13 | 11,735.51 miles (18,886.43 km) NNE | Kagoshima Airport (KOJ) | Kagoshima, Japan | |
| 14 | 11,731.15 miles (18,879.41 km) ENE | Miyako Airport (MMY) | Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan | |
| 15 | 11,721.39 miles (18,863.70 km) ENE | Shimojishima Airport (SHI) | Shimojishima, Japan | |