Nonstop flight route between Goldsboro, North Carolina, United States and Atwater, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (GSB), Goldsboro, North Carolina, United States and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,355 miles (or 3,790 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 relatively short distance between Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Castle Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (GSB):

• The unit initially arrived at Seymour Johnson in October 1985 as a small advance team until October 1986.
• In addition to being known as "Seymour Johnson Air Force Base", another name for GSB is "Seymour Johnson AFB".
• The 4th Fighter Wing with these operational squadrons have, under various designations, remained at Seymour Johnson AFB for nearly 50 years.
• The furthest airport from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (GSB) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,689 miles (18,811 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (GSB) is Kinston Regional Jetport (ISO), which is located only 20 miles (32 kilometers) E of GSB.
• Seymour Johnson Air Force Base occupies over 3,300 acres in the southeast section of Goldsboro.
• The 83d initially trained with the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star when it was activated, later upgrading to the F-86H Sabre in October 1956.
• Interestingly, the namesake of the base, Seymour Johnson, was never part of the Air Force.
• In 1988 the 4th TFW began transitioning from the F-4E to the F-15E Strike Eagle.

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.
• 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.
• The EPA currently has this base listed on their database due to the bulk wastes such as solvents, oils, fuels, and sludges which were disposed in pits at landfills around the base until 1977.
• 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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• 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.