Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Yamagata, Japan:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(38°48'43"N by 139°47'13"E)
Distance from MER to SYO:
5,108.20 miles (8,220.82 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- SYO Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about SYO
- 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 SYO
- List of Nearest Airports to SYO
- Map of Furthest Airports from SYO
- List of Furthest Airports from SYO
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Shonai Airport (SYO), Yamagata, Japan would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,108 miles (or 8,221 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 Shonai 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 Shonai 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: | SYO / RJSY |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Yamagata, Japan |
| GPS Coordinates: | 38°48'43"N by 139°47'13"E |
| Area Served: | Sakata, Yamagata |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 72 feet (22 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SYO |
| More Information: | SYO 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- Castle Airport is a public use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Merced, a city in Merced County, California, United States.
Facts about Shonai Airport (SYO):
- In addition to being known as "Shonai Airport", other names for SYO include "庄内空港" and "Shonai Kūkō".
- The closest airport to Shonai Airport (SYO) is Yamagata Airport (GAJ), which is located 42 miles (67 kilometers) SE of SYO.
- The furthest airport from Shonai Airport (SYO) is Rio Grande Regional Airport (RIG), which is located 11,620 miles (18,701 kilometers) away in Rio Grande, Brazil.
- Because of Shonai Airport's relatively low elevation of 72 feet, planes can take off or land at Shonai 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.
- Shonai Airport (SYO) currently has only 1 runway.
- In December 2012, an ANA flight landing from Tokyo overran the runway at Shonai.
| 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 | 41.94 miles (67.49 km) SE | Yamagata Airport (GAJ) | Yamagata, Honshū, Japan | |
| 2 | 60.12 miles (96.75 km) NNE | Akita Airport (AXT) | Akita, Japan | |
| 3 | 69.57 miles (111.96 km) SSW | Niigata Airport (KIJ) | Niigata, Japan | |
| 4 | 76.77 miles (123.54 km) SE | Sendai Airport (SDJ) | Natori, Japan | |
| 5 | 83.88 miles (134.99 km) ENE | Hanamaki Airport (HNA) | Morioka, Honshū, Japan | |
| 6 | 100.29 miles (161.40 km) NNE | Odate-Noshiro Airport (ONJ) | Kitaakita, Akita, Japan | |
| 7 | 114.91 miles (184.94 km) SSE | Fukushima Airport (FKS) | Sugawa, Fukushima, Japan | |
| 8 | 141.10 miles (227.08 km) NNE | Aomori Airport (AOJ) | Aomori, Japan | |
| 9 | 149.76 miles (241.01 km) NE | JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base (HHE) | Hachinohe, Honshū, Japan | |
| 10 | 155.53 miles (250.31 km) NNE | Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō (MSJ) | Misawa, Aomori, Japan | |
| 11 | 158.83 miles (255.61 km) S | Utsunomiya Air Field (QUT) | Nikkō / Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan | |
| 12 | 206.22 miles (331.88 km) SW | Toyama Airport (TOY) | Toyama, Toyama, Japan | |
| 13 | 209.41 miles (337.02 km) SSW | Matsumoto Airport (MMJ) | Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan | |
| 14 | 211.51 miles (340.39 km) NNE | Hakodate Airport (HKD) | Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan | |
| 15 | 213.08 miles (342.91 km) S | Narita International Airport (NRT) | Narita (near Tokyo), Japan | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,620.18 miles (18,700.82 km) ESE | Rio Grande Regional Airport (RIG) | Rio Grande, Brazil | |
| 2 | 11,596.75 miles (18,663.11 km) ESE | Pelotas International Airport (PET) | Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil | |
| 3 | 11,570.82 miles (18,621.39 km) ESE | Capitán de Corbeta Carlos A. Curbelo International Airport (PDP) | Maldonado/Punta del Este, Maldonado, Uruguay | |
| 4 | 11,565.45 miles (18,612.73 km) SE | Salgado Filho International Airport (POA) | Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil | |
| 5 | 11,562.91 miles (18,608.66 km) SE | Diomício Freitas/Forquilhinha Airport (CCM) | Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil | |
| 6 | 11,557.93 miles (18,600.64 km) ESE | Treinta y Tres Airport (TYT) | Treinta y Tres, Treinta y Tres, Uruguay | |
| 7 | 11,533.00 miles (18,560.52 km) ESE | Cerro Largo International Airport (MLZ) | Melo, Cerro Largo, Uruguay | |
| 8 | 11,529.55 miles (18,554.97 km) SE | Florianópolis-Hercílio Luz International Airport (FLN) | Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil | |
| 9 | 11,521.28 miles (18,541.66 km) ESE | Carrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport (MVD) | Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay | |
| 10 | 11,516.37 miles (18,533.75 km) E | Villa Gesell Airport (VLG) | Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 11 | 11,500.37 miles (18,508.01 km) ESE | Comandante Gustavo Kraemer International Airport (BGX) | Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil | |
| 12 | 11,495.87 miles (18,500.77 km) E | Astor Piazzolla International Airport (MDQ) | Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina | |
| 13 | 11,491.78 miles (18,494.19 km) ESE | Cerro Largo International Airport (VCH) | Vichadero, Rivera, Uruguay | |
| 14 | 11,482.84 miles (18,479.80 km) E | Miramar Airport (MJR) | Miramar, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 15 | 11,479.59 miles (18,474.56 km) SE | Antônio Correia Pinto de Macedo Airport (LAJ) | Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil | |