Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Campbeltown, Scotland, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Campbeltown Airport (CAL), Campbeltown, Scotland, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,969 miles (or 7,997 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 Campbeltown 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 Campbeltown 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):

• 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.
• 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 is a public use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Merced, a city in Merced County, California, United States.
• 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 Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
• 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.
• Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
• 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 Campbeltown Airport (CAL):

• In addition to being known as "Campbeltown Airport", other names for CAL include "Port-adhair Cheann Loch Chille Chiarain", "RAF Machrihanish" and "MoD Machrihanish".
• Campbeltown Airport handled 9,181 passengers last year.
• Campbeltown Airport (CAL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Campbeltown Airport (CAL) is Islay Airport (ILY), which is located 28 miles (45 kilometers) NW of CAL.
• Permanent full-time military operations ceased in 1997.
• The furthest airport from Campbeltown Airport (CAL) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,789 miles (18,973 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
• Because of Campbeltown Airport's relatively low elevation of 42 feet, planes can take off or land at Campbeltown 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.