Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Julia Creek, Queensland, Australia:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to JCK:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- JCK Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about JCK
- 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 JCK
- List of Nearest Airports to JCK
- Map of Furthest Airports from JCK
- List of Furthest Airports from JCK
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Julia Creek Airport (JCK), Julia Creek, Queensland, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,483 miles (or 12,043 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 Julia Creek 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 Julia Creek Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
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: | JCK / YJLC |
Airport Name: | Julia Creek Airport |
Location: | Julia Creek, Queensland, Australia |
GPS Coordinates: | 20°40'5"S by 141°43'20"E |
Operator/Owner: | McKinlay Shire Council |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 404 feet (123 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from JCK |
More Information: | JCK Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- 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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of 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.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
Facts about Julia Creek Airport (JCK):
- The closest airport to Julia Creek Airport (JCK) is Elrose Mine Airport (ERQ), which is located 51 miles (82 kilometers) WSW of JCK.
- Because of Julia Creek Airport's relatively low elevation of 404 feet, planes can take off or land at Julia Creek 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.
- The furthest airport from Julia Creek Airport (JCK) is Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO), which is located 11,543 miles (18,576 kilometers) away in Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde.
- Julia Creek Airport (JCK) currently has only 1 runway.