Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Mercury, Nevada, United States:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(36°37'9"N by 116°1'58"W)
Distance from MER to DRA:
255.70 miles (411.50 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- DRA Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about DRA
- 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 DRA
- List of Nearest Airports to DRA
- Map of Furthest Airports from DRA
- List of Furthest Airports from DRA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Desert Rock Airport (DRA), Mercury, Nevada, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 256 miles (or 412 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 Desert Rock Airport, 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: | DRA / KDRA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Mercury, Nevada, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 36°37'9"N by 116°1'58"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Mercury, Nevada |
| Airport Type: | United States Department of Energy/Nevada |
| Elevation: | 1010 feet (308 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DRA |
| More Information: | DRA Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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 serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Desert Rock Airport (DRA):
- In addition to being known as "Desert Rock Airport", another name for DRA is "NV65".
- The furthest airport from Desert Rock Airport (DRA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,271 miles (18,139 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- The closest airport to Desert Rock Airport (DRA) is Creech Air Force Base Indian Springs Auxiliary Army Airfield (1961) Indian Springs Air Force Base (1951) Indian Springs Army Airfield Indian Springs Airport eponyms: Indian Springs, Nevada &Wilbur L. Creech[1] (INS), which is located only 20 miles (32 kilometers) E of DRA.
- Desert Rock Airport (DRA) currently has only 1 runway.
| 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 | 19.69 miles (31.69 km) E | Creech Air Force Base Indian Springs Auxiliary Army Airfield (1961) Indian Springs Air Force Base (1951) Indian Springs Army Airfield Indian Springs Airport eponyms: Indian Springs, Nevada &Wilbur L. Creech[1] (INS) | Indian Springs, Nevada, United States | |
| 2 | 22.55 miles (36.30 km) N | Yucca Airstrip (UCC) | Mercury, Nevada, United States | |
| 3 | 44.97 miles (72.37 km) WNW | Beatty Airport (BTY) | Beatty, Nevada, United States | |
| 4 | 54.51 miles (87.72 km) ESE | North Las Vegas Airport (VGT) | North Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| 5 | 61.57 miles (99.08 km) SE | McCarran International Airport (LAS) | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| 6 | 63.05 miles (101.47 km) ESE | Nellis Air Force BaseLas Vegas Air Force Base (1948) Las Vegas Army Airfield (1941)[1] McCarren Field (c. 1935)[2] (LSV) | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| 7 | 67.07 miles (107.94 km) SE | Henderson Executive Airport (HSH) | Henderson, United States | |
| 8 | 80.14 miles (128.96 km) SE | Boulder City Municipal Airport (BLD) | Boulder City, Nevada, United States | |
| 9 | 90.99 miles (146.43 km) NNW | Tonopah Test Range Airport (XSD) | Tonopah, Nevada, United States | |
| 10 | 91.16 miles (146.71 km) SW | Trona Airport (TRH) | Trona, California, United States | |
| 11 | 98.36 miles (158.29 km) SSW | Bicycle Lake Army Airfield (BYS) | Barstow, California, United States | |
| 12 | 110.47 miles (177.78 km) E | Mesquite Airport (MFH) | Mesquite, Nevada, United States | |
| 13 | 115.16 miles (185.33 km) NNW | Tonopah Airport (TPH) | Tonopah, Nevada, United States | |
| 14 | 120.24 miles (193.50 km) WSW | Inyokern Airport (IYK) | Inyokern, California, United States | |
| 15 | 129.12 miles (207.80 km) SSW | Barstow-Daggett Airport (DAG) | Daggett, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,271.17 miles (18,139.15 km) S | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 11,261.80 miles (18,124.07 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 3 | 11,255.74 miles (18,114.32 km) SSE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 4 | 11,236.83 miles (18,083.89 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 11,152.35 miles (17,947.92 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 11,032.45 miles (17,754.96 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 11,017.51 miles (17,730.91 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 10,979.70 miles (17,670.06 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 10,880.55 miles (17,510.51 km) SE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 10,857.64 miles (17,473.64 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 10,850.28 miles (17,461.79 km) SE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 10,843.79 miles (17,451.35 km) ESE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 10,834.60 miles (17,436.56 km) SE | Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) | Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,831.51 miles (17,431.58 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 10,811.16 miles (17,398.84 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |