Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Afutara, Solomon Islands:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(9°11'29"S by 160°56'53"E)
Distance from MER to AFT:
5,982.19 miles (9,627.37 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- AFT Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about AFT
- 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 AFT
- List of Nearest Airports to AFT
- Map of Furthest Airports from AFT
- List of Furthest Airports from AFT
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Afutara Airport (AFT), Afutara, Solomon Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,982 miles (or 9,627 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 Afutara 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 Afutara 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: | AFT / AGAF |
| Airport Name: | Afutara Airport |
| Location: | Afutara, Solomon Islands |
| GPS Coordinates: | 9°11'29"S by 160°56'53"E |
| Area Served: | Afutara |
| View all routes: | Routes from AFT |
| More Information: | AFT Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- EPA investigations have been completed at multiple areas of contamination including landfills, discharge areas, chemical disposal areas, fire training areas, fuel spill areas, and polychlorinated biphenyl spill areas.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Afutara Airport (AFT):
- The closest airport to Afutara Airport (AFT) is Uru Harbour Airport (ATD), which is located 22 miles (36 kilometers) N of AFT.
- The furthest airport from Afutara Airport (AFT) is Bubaque Airport (BQE), which is nearly antipodal to Afutara Airport (meaning Afutara Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Bubaque Airport), and is located 12,174 miles (19,593 kilometers) away in Bubaque, Guinea-Bissau.
| 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 | 22.39 miles (36.04 km) N | Uru Harbour Airport (ATD) | Atoifi, Malaita, Solomon Islands | |
| 2 | 38.68 miles (62.26 km) NNW | Auki Gwaunaru'u Airport (AKS) | Auki / Gwaunaru'u, Solomon Islands | |
| 3 | 63.09 miles (101.53 km) WSW | Honiara International Airport (formerly Henderson Field) (HIR) | Honiara, Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 4 | 83.87 miles (134.98 km) ESE | Ulawa Airport (RNA) | Arona, Ulawa Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 5 | 84.81 miles (136.49 km) WSW | Mbambanakira Airport (MBU) | Mbambanakira, Solomon Islands | |
| 6 | 108.34 miles (174.36 km) SE | Kirakira Airport (IRA) | Kirakira, Makira Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 7 | 118.17 miles (190.18 km) W | Yandina Airport (XYA) | Yandina, Solomon Islands | |
| 8 | 119.91 miles (192.98 km) NW | Fera Airport (FRE) | Maringe, Fera Island, Isabel Province, Solomon Islands | |
| 9 | 165.45 miles (266.27 km) SSW | Bellona/Anua Airport (BNY) | Anua, Bellona Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 10 | 258.63 miles (416.22 km) WNW | Munda Airport (MUA) | Munda, New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 11 | 263.27 miles (423.69 km) WNW | Kaghau Airport (KGE) | Kagau Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 12 | 289.01 miles (465.12 km) WNW | Nusatupe Airport (GZO) | Gizo / Nusatupe, Western Province, Solomon Islands | |
| 13 | 355.48 miles (572.09 km) WNW | Choiseul Bay Airport (CHY) | Choiseul Bay, Taro Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 14 | 377.98 miles (608.31 km) WNW | Balalae Airport (BAS) | Ballalae, Solomon Islands | |
| 15 | 387.92 miles (624.29 km) WNW | Mono Airport (MNY) | Stirling Island, Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,174.30 miles (19,592.59 km) NW | Bubaque Airport (BQE) | Bubaque, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 2 | 12,164.89 miles (19,577.45 km) NW | Cap Skirring Airport (CSK) | Cap Skirring, Senegal | |
| 3 | 12,139.88 miles (19,537.19 km) NW | Osvaldo Vieira International Airport (OXB) | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 4 | 12,137.89 miles (19,534.00 km) NW | Ziguinchor Airport (ZIG) | Ziguinchor, Senegal | |
| 5 | 12,107.40 miles (19,484.92 km) NNW | Banjul International Airport (BJL) | Banjul, Gambia | |
| 6 | 12,089.90 miles (19,456.76 km) WNW | Boké Baralande Airport (BKJ) | Boké, Guinea | |
| 7 | 12,065.03 miles (19,416.73 km) W | Conakry International Airport (CKY) | Conakry, Guinea | |
| 8 | 12,059.63 miles (19,408.05 km) NW | Kolda North Airport (KDA) | Kolda, Senegal | |
| 9 | 12,055.01 miles (19,400.60 km) WNW | Fria Airport (FIG) | Fria, Guinea | |
| 10 | 12,039.21 miles (19,375.18 km) NNW | Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport (DKR) | Dakar, Senegal | |
| 11 | 12,038.78 miles (19,374.50 km) NNW | Kaolack Airport (KLC) | Kaolack, Senegal | |
| 12 | 12,035.09 miles (19,368.55 km) W | Lungi International Airport (FNA) | Freetown, Sierra Leone | |
| 13 | 12,028.62 miles (19,358.14 km) W | Hastings Airport (HGS) | Freetown, Sierra Leone | |
| 14 | 11,985.42 miles (19,288.61 km) WNW | Sambailo Airport (SBI) | Koundara, Guinea | |
| 15 | 11,975.72 miles (19,273.01 km) WNW | Sherbro International Airport (BTE) | Bonthe, Sierra Leone | |