Nonstop flight route between Malakal, South Sudan and Atwater, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Malakal Airport (MAK), Malakal, South Sudan and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,729 miles (or 14,047 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 Malakal 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 Malakal Airport and Castle Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Malakal Airport (MAK):

• Malakal is the second-largest airport in South Sudan.
• As part of the United Nation's Mission to Sudan, the airport was a major staging point for United Nation operations to South Sudan and will continue to do so under the new United Nation's Mission to South Sudan mandate.
• Malakal Airport (MAK) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Malakal Airport (MAK) is Ahe Airport (AHE), which is nearly antipodal to Malakal Airport (meaning Malakal Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ahe Airport), and is located 12,072 miles (19,428 kilometers) away in Ahe, French Polynesia.
• The closest airport to Malakal Airport (MAK) is Beica Airport (BEI), which is located 196 miles (315 kilometers) E of MAK.
• The airport resides at an elevation of 1,291 feet above mean sea level.

Facts about Castle Airport (MER):

• 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.
• Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In 2004, recommendations were made to relocate the 129th Rescue Wing of the California Air National Guard and its associated HC-130, MC-130 and HH-60 aircraft from Moffett Federal Airfield to the former Castle Air Force Base, now Castle Airport.