Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Aitape, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(3°11'56"S by 142°25'41"E)
Distance from MER to TAJ:
6,736.97 miles (10,842.07 km)
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- TAJ Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about TAJ
- 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 TAJ
- List of Nearest Airports to TAJ
- Map of Furthest Airports from TAJ
- List of Furthest Airports from TAJ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Tadji Airport (TAJ), Aitape, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,737 miles (or 10,842 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 Tadji 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 Tadji 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: | TAJ / |
| Airport Name: | Tadji Airport |
| Location: | Aitape, Papua New Guinea |
| GPS Coordinates: | 3°11'56"S by 142°25'41"E |
| Elevation: | 16 feet (5 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from TAJ |
| More Information: | TAJ 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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- With its central location in the San Joaquin Valley, on the route of the proposed California High-Speed Rail system, and with a large, underdeveloped site, Castle Airport has been submitted as a possible location for the central maintenance facility for the system.
- 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.
- Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- 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.
Facts about Tadji Airport (TAJ):
- The furthest airport from Tadji Airport (TAJ) is Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport (FOR), which is located 11,950 miles (19,232 kilometers) away in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
- The closest airport to Tadji Airport (TAJ) is Frieda River Airport (FAQ), which is located 103 miles (165 kilometers) SSW of TAJ.
- Tadji Airport (TAJ) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Tadji Airport's relatively low elevation of 16 feet, planes can take off or land at Tadji 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.
| 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 | 102.62 miles (165.16 km) SSW | Frieda River Airport (FAQ) | Frieda River, Papua New Guinea | |
| 2 | 138.77 miles (223.34 km) WNW | Sentani Airport (SNA) (DJJ) | Jayapura, Indonesia | |
| 3 | 167.57 miles (269.67 km) SSW | Biangabip Airport (BPK) | Biangabip, Papua New Guinea | |
| 4 | 186.43 miles (300.03 km) SE | Sangapi Airport (SGK) | Sangapi, Papua New Guinea | |
| 5 | 205.20 miles (330.23 km) WNW | Batom Airport (BXM) | Batom, Indonesia | |
| 6 | 207.90 miles (334.59 km) SE | Aiome Airport (AIE) | Aiome, Papua New Guinea | |
| 7 | 218.23 miles (351.21 km) SSW | Atkamba Airport (ABP) | Atkamba, Papua New Guinea | |
| 8 | 220.16 miles (354.31 km) WSW | Apalapsili Airport (AAS) | Apalapsili, Indonesia | |
| 9 | 220.61 miles (355.04 km) SSE | Mendi Airport (MDU) | Mendi, Papua New Guinea | |
| 10 | 222.51 miles (358.09 km) SE | Mount Hagen Airport (HGU) | Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea | |
| 11 | 225.63 miles (363.11 km) SSE | Moro Airport (MXH) | Moro, Papua New Guinea | |
| 12 | 262.19 miles (421.96 km) SE | Chimbu Airport (CMU) | Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea | |
| 13 | 263.02 miles (423.29 km) W | Bokondini Airport (BUI) | Bokondini, Indonesia | |
| 14 | 269.66 miles (433.97 km) ESE | Madang Airport (MAG) | Madang, Papua New Guinea | |
| 15 | 271.02 miles (436.16 km) SSW | Lake Murray Airport (LMY) | Lake Murray, Papua New Guinea | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,950.34 miles (19,232.16 km) S | Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport (FOR) | Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil | |
| 2 | 11,927.26 miles (19,195.01 km) NE | Parnaíba–Prefeito Dr. João Silva Filho International Airport (PHB) | Parnaiba, Piaui, Brazil | |
| 3 | 11,889.09 miles (19,133.59 km) NE | Barreirinhas Airport (BRB) | Barreirinhas, Maranhão, Brazil | |
| 4 | 11,856.59 miles (19,081.29 km) S | Gov. Dix-Sept Rosado Airport (MVF) | Mossoro, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil | |
| 5 | 11,833.76 miles (19,044.55 km) SW | Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) | Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 6 | 11,827.16 miles (19,033.92 km) NE | Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport (Tirirical) (SLZ) | São Luís, Brazil | |
| 7 | 11,787.46 miles (18,970.02 km) SSW | Augusto Severo International Airport (NAT) | Natal, Brazil | |
| 8 | 11,760.68 miles (18,926.94 km) SSE | Teresina–Senador Petrônio Portella Airport (THE) | Teresina, Piauí, Brazil | |
| 9 | 11,704.34 miles (18,836.26 km) S | Presidente João Suassuna Airport (CPV) | Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 10 | 11,699.51 miles (18,828.48 km) SSW | Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA) | João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 11 | 11,633.28 miles (18,721.90 km) SSW | Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport (REC) | Recife, Brazil | |
| 12 | 11,619.61 miles (18,699.91 km) ENE | Belém/Val de Cans–Júlio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport (BEL) | Belém, Pará, Brazil | |
| 13 | 11,549.61 miles (18,587.25 km) S | Maceió/Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport (MCZ) | Maceió, Brazil | |
| 14 | 11,543.90 miles (18,578.06 km) SSE | Petrolina–Senador Nilo Coelho Airport (PNZ) | Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 15 | 11,526.13 miles (18,549.46 km) SE | Imperatriz-Prefeito Renato Moreira Airport (IMP) | Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil | |