Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from MER to DPG:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- DPG Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about DPG
- 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 DPG
- List of Nearest Airports to DPG
- Map of Furthest Airports from DPG
- List of Furthest Airports from DPG
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG), Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 455 miles (or 732 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 relatively short distance between Castle Airport and Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | DPG / KDPG |
| Airport Name: | Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield |
| Location: | Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 40°11'57"N by 112°56'15"W |
| Area Served: | Dugway Proving Ground |
| Operator/Owner: | United States Army |
| Airport Type: | Military: Army Airfield |
| Elevation: | 4349 feet (1,326 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DPG |
| More Information: | DPG Maps & Info |
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG):
- The closest airport to Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG) is Delta Municipal Airport (DTA), which is located 61 miles (98 kilometers) SSE of DPG.
- One frequently rumored test project is the Lockheed Martin X-33.
- Michael Army Airfield is located in a secluded, distant location and the secretive nature of its missions are generally undisclosed by the Army.
- The furthest airport from Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,007 miles (17,715 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- It has been called the "new Area 51" by some, with the Dugway Proving Ground serving as a buffer zone, as the Nevada Test Site served for Groom Lake.
- In the 1990s, MAAF was associated with the NASA X-38 Crew Return Vehicle program, for the International Space Station.
- Because of Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield's high elevation of 4,349 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at DPG. Combined with a high temperature, this could make DPG a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- Michael Army AirfieldDugway Army Airfield (DPG) currently has only 1 runway.
