Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Alor Star, Kedah, Malaysia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR), Alor Star, Kedah, Malaysia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,434 miles (or 13,574 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 Sultan Abdul Halim 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 Sultan Abdul Halim 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 Castle Airport (MER):

• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.

Facts about Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR):

• Sultan Abdul Halim Airport handled 535,073 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR) is Cap. FAP José A. Quiñones González International Airport (CIX), which is nearly antipodal to Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (meaning Sultan Abdul Halim Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cap. FAP José A. Quiñones González International Airport), and is located 12,393 miles (19,944 kilometers) away in Chiclayo, Peru.
• Because of Sultan Abdul Halim Airport's relatively low elevation of 15 feet, planes can take off or land at Sultan Abdul Halim 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 "Sultan Abdul Halim Airport", another name for AOR is "Lapangan Terbang Sultan Abdul Halim".
• The closest airport to Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR) is Langkawi International Airport (LGK), which is located 47 miles (75 kilometers) WNW of AOR.
• Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR) currently has only 1 runway.