Nonstop flight route between Merced, California, United States and Pekanbaru, Sumatra, Indonesia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Merced Regional Airport (MCE), Merced, California, United States and Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (PKU), Pekanbaru, Sumatra, Indonesia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,701 miles (or 14,003 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 Merced Regional Airport and Sultan Syarif Kasim II International 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 Merced Regional Airport and Sultan Syarif Kasim II International 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 Merced Regional Airport (MCE):

• The furthest airport from Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,314 miles (18,209 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• United's DC-3s were replaced by Convair 340s and Douglas DC-6s, and eventually by Boeing 737-200 jetliners in 1968-69.
• In 1946 United Airlines built offices and a terminal building and began one Douglas DC-3 flight each way a day.
• The Department of Transportation reselected Great Lakes Airlines to provide Essential Air Service at Merced Regional Airport for the two-year period from October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2014.
• The closest airport to Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Castle Airport (MER), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNW of MCE.
• Because of Merced Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 155 feet, planes can take off or land at Merced Regional 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.
• In addition to being known as "Merced Regional Airport", another name for MCE is "MacReady Field".
• Merced Regional Airport (MCE) currently has only 1 runway.
• During the 1950s the airport was used to service United States Armed Forces aircraft, and a land acquisition in February 1955 allowed runway 12/30 to be extended.
• Merced Regional Airport is a base for Medi-Flight Northern California, an air ambulance service provided by Mercy Air, a subsidiary of Air Methods.

Facts about Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (PKU):

• The furthest airport from Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (PKU) is Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), which is nearly antipodal to Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (meaning Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Mariscal Sucre International Airport), and is located 12,409 miles (19,971 kilometers) away in Quito, Ecuador.
• In addition to being known as "Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport", other names for PKU include "Bandar Udara Internasional Sultan Syarif Kasim II" and "بندر اودارا اينترنسيونل سلطان شريف قاسم ٢".
• Because of Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport's relatively low elevation of 104 feet, planes can take off or land at Sultan Syarif Kasim II International 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 airport is also a Type B airbase of the TNI-AU, homebase of the 12th Squadron, a shelter to some Hawk Mk.109s and Mk.209s.
• On 16 July 2012, a Rp 2 trillion new terminal has been opened to accommodate 1.5 million passengers a year and serve 8 Boeing 737-900ER aircraft and 2 Boeing 747 jumbo jets at the same time.
• SSK II airport development was initialized in June 2013 and is expected to be completed in 2014.
• The closest airport to Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (PKU) is Pinang Kampai Airport (DUM), which is located 79 miles (128 kilometers) N of PKU.
• Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (PKU) currently has only 1 runway.
• Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport is an international airport that serves the city of Pekanbaru, Riau, Indonesia.
• Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport handled 392,399 passengers last year.