Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira Airport (GVR), Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,408 miles (or 10,312 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 Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira 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 Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira 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):

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira Airport (GVR):

• The closest airport to Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira Airport (GVR) is Usiminas Airport (IPN), which is located 51 miles (83 kilometers) SW of GVR.
• In addition to being known as "Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira Airport", another name for GVR is "Aeroporto Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira".
• The furthest airport from Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira Airport (GVR) is Central Field (Iwo Jima)Motoyama No. 2Airfield No. 2 (IWO), which is located 11,978 miles (19,277 kilometers) away in Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, Japan.
• Because of Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira Airport's relatively low elevation of 561 feet, planes can take off or land at Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira 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.
• Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira Airport (GVR) currently has only 1 runway.