Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Da Nang, Vietnam:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Đà Nẵng International Airport (DAD), Da Nang, Vietnam would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,573 miles (or 12,188 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 Đà Nẵng 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 Castle Airport and Đà Nẵng 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 Castle Airport (MER):

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• 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.

Facts about Đà Nẵng International Airport (DAD):

• Đà Nẵng International Airport (DAD) has 2 runways.
• In addition to its civil aviation, the runway is shared with the Vietnamese People's Air Force, although military activities are now extremely limited.
• Because of Đà Nẵng International Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at Đà Nẵng 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.
• After the war, the facility was used by the French Air Force during the French Indochina War.
• Đà Nẵng International Airport is located in Đà Nẵng, the largest city in central Vietnam.
• In 1955, the newly established Republic of Vietnam Air Force inherited from the French a token force of fifty-eight aircraft.
• The furthest airport from Đà Nẵng International Airport (DAD) is Rodríguez Ballón International Airport (AQP), which is nearly antipodal to Đà Nẵng International Airport (meaning Đà Nẵng International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Rodríguez Ballón International Airport), and is located 12,412 miles (19,975 kilometers) away in Arequipa, Peru.
• The closest airport to Đà Nẵng International Airport (DAD) is Phu Bai International Airport (HUI), which is located 41 miles (66 kilometers) NW of DAD.
• In 1957 the VNAF re-established a presence at the renamed Da Nang Airport, stationing the 1st Liaison Squadron with Cessna L-19s.
• A new 20,000m² terminal, costing USD $84 million with a capacity of 4 million passengers per year, opened to receive its first domestic flight on 15 December.
• In addition to being known as "Đà Nẵng International Airport", another name for DAD is "Sân bay Quốc tế Đà Nẵng".