Nonstop flight route between St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia and Atwater, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(41°20'12"S by 148°16'54"E)
Arrival Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Distance from HLS to MER:
7,903.65 miles (12,719.66 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- HLS Airport Information
- MER Airport Information
- Facts about HLS
- Facts about MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to HLS
- List of Nearest Airports to HLS
- Map of Furthest Airports from HLS
- List of Furthest Airports from HLS
- Map of Nearest Airports to MER
- List of Nearest Airports to MER
- Map of Furthest Airports from MER
- List of Furthest Airports from MER
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between St Helens Airport (HLS), St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,904 miles (or 12,720 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 St Helens Airport and Castle 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 St Helens Airport and Castle Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | HLS / YSTH |
| Airport Name: | St Helens Airport |
| Location: | St. Helens, Tasmania, Australia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 41°20'12"S by 148°16'54"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Break O'Day Council |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 158 feet (48 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from HLS |
| More Information: | HLS Maps & Info |
Arrival 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 |
Facts about St Helens Airport (HLS):
- Because of St Helens Airport's relatively low elevation of 158 feet, planes can take off or land at St Helens 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 St Helens Airport (HLS) is Launceston Airport (LST), which is located 57 miles (92 kilometers) WSW of HLS.
- The furthest airport from St Helens Airport (HLS) is Corvo Airport (CVU), which is nearly antipodal to St Helens Airport (meaning St Helens Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Corvo Airport), and is located 12,317 miles (19,823 kilometers) away in Corvo Island, Azores, Portugal.
- St Helens Airport (HLS) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Castle Airport (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.
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
- 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 covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- 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.
- 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.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 57.09 miles (91.88 km) WSW | Launceston Airport (LST) | Launceston, Tasmania, Australia |     |
| 2 | 77.01 miles (123.93 km) WNW | George Town Aerodrome (GEE) | George Town, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 3 | 87.36 miles (140.59 km) N | Flinders Island Airport (FLS) | Flinders Island, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 4 | 96.86 miles (155.88 km) W | Devonport Airport (DPO) | Devonport, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 5 | 110.94 miles (178.53 km) SSW | Hobart International Airport (HBA) | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 6 | 134.69 miles (216.77 km) W | Burnie Airport (BWT) | Burnie, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 7 | 170.12 miles (273.78 km) W | Smithton Airport (SIO) | Smithton, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 8 | 241.32 miles (388.37 km) N | Bairnsdale Aerodrome (BSJ) | Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia | |
| 9 | 251.98 miles (405.52 km) WNW | King Island Airport (KNS) | Currie, Tasmania, Australia | |
| 10 | 287.23 miles (462.24 km) NW | Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW) | Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia | |
| 11 | 300.22 miles (483.16 km) NW | Geelong Airport (GEX) | Grovedale, Victoria, Australia | |
| 12 | 300.66 miles (483.86 km) N | Mount Hotham Airport (MHU) | Mount Hotham, Victoria, Australia | |
| 13 | 307.52 miles (494.90 km) NW | Essendon Airport (MEB) | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 14 | 312.45 miles (502.84 km) NW | Melbourne Airport (MEL) | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 15 | 315.73 miles (508.12 km) NW | Avalon Airport (AVV) | Avalon, Victoria, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,317.39 miles (19,822.86 km) NNW | Corvo Airport (CVU) | Corvo Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 2 | 12,303.39 miles (19,800.33 km) NNW | Flores Airport (FLW) | Flores Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 3 | 12,187.96 miles (19,614.57 km) NW | Graciosa Airport (GRW) | Graciosa Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 4 | 12,185.49 miles (19,610.60 km) NW | Horta International Airport (HOR) | Horta, Azores, Portugal | |
| 5 | 12,177.83 miles (19,598.28 km) NW | Pico Airport (PIX) | Pico Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 6 | 12,134.30 miles (19,528.22 km) NW | Lajes Air Base (TER) | Lajes, Azores, Portugal | |
| 7 | 12,031.26 miles (19,362.39 km) NW | João Paulo II Airport (PDL) | Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal | |
| 8 | 11,974.54 miles (19,271.10 km) NW | Santa Maria Airport (SMA) | Santa Maria, Portugal | |
| 9 | 11,421.39 miles (18,380.90 km) WNW | Madeira Airport (FNC) | Funchal, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 10 | 11,418.70 miles (18,376.57 km) WNW | Porto Santo Airport (PXO) | Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 11 | 11,317.17 miles (18,213.17 km) ENE | St. John's International Airport (YYT) | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada | |
| 12 | 11,258.38 miles (18,118.57 km) NW | La Palma Airport (SPC) | La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 13 | 11,249.17 miles (18,103.75 km) W | Vigo Airport (VGO) | Vigo, Galicia, Spain | |
| 14 | 11,244.10 miles (18,095.58 km) W | Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) | Porto, Portugal | |
| 15 | 11,241.46 miles (18,091.33 km) WNW | Santiago de Compostela Airport (SCQ) | Santiago de Compostela, Spain | |
| 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 | |