Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Lae, Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(6°34'10"S by 146°43'33"E)
Distance from MER to LAE:
6,641.71 miles (10,688.77 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- LAE Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about LAE
- 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 LAE
- List of Nearest Airports to LAE
- Map of Furthest Airports from LAE
- List of Furthest Airports from LAE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Lae Nadzab Airport (LAE), Lae, Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,642 miles (or 10,689 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 Lae Nadzab 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 Lae Nadzab 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: | LAE / AYNZ |
| Airport Name: | Lae Nadzab Airport |
| Location: | Lae, Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guinea |
| GPS Coordinates: | 6°34'10"S by 146°43'33"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Papua New Guinea Office of Civil Aviation |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 239 feet (73 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from LAE |
| More Information: | LAE Maps & Info |
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 (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- 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.
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
Facts about Lae Nadzab Airport (LAE):
- Today, the former 'East Base' or No.
- Because of Lae Nadzab Airport's relatively low elevation of 239 feet, planes can take off or land at Lae Nadzab 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 Lae Nadzab Airport (LAE) is Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN), which is located 11,714 miles (18,852 kilometers) away in Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil.
- The first parachute jump for the 503rd Parachute Regiment was during the Allied paratrooper assault on 5 September 1943.
- The closest airport to Lae Nadzab Airport (LAE) is Bulolo Airport (BUL), which is located 45 miles (72 kilometers) S of LAE.
- Lae Nadzab Airport (LAE) currently has only 1 runway.
- In March 1942, the Japanese occupied Lae and Salamaua.
| 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 | 44.97 miles (72.37 km) S | Bulolo Airport (BUL) | Bulolo, Papua New Guinea | |
| 2 | 58.68 miles (94.44 km) WNW | Aiyura Airport (AYU) | Aiyura, Papua New Guinea | |
| 3 | 63.54 miles (102.26 km) NW | Gusap Airport (GAP) | Gusap, Papua New Guinea | |
| 4 | 77.51 miles (124.73 km) E | Finschhafen Airport (FIN) | Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea | |
| 5 | 78.46 miles (126.27 km) WSW | Andakombe Airport (ADC) | Andakombe, Papua New Guinea | |
| 6 | 97.63 miles (157.12 km) WNW | Goroka Airport (GKA) | Goroka, Papua New Guinea | |
| 7 | 114.22 miles (183.82 km) NW | Madang Airport (MAG) | Madang, Papua New Guinea | |
| 8 | 116.43 miles (187.38 km) SW | Kerema Airport (KMA) | Kerema, Papua New Guinea | |
| 9 | 126.34 miles (203.32 km) WNW | Chimbu Airport (CMU) | Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea | |
| 10 | 129.27 miles (208.03 km) SW | Ihu Airport (IHU) | Ihu, Papua New Guinea | |
| 11 | 139.10 miles (223.85 km) S | Fane Airport (FNE) | Fane, Papua New Guinea | |
| 12 | 140.13 miles (225.51 km) ENE | Cape Gloucester Airport (CGC) | Cape Gloucester, Papua New Guinea | |
| 13 | 145.33 miles (233.89 km) WSW | Baimuru Airport (VMU) | Baimuru, Papua New Guinea | |
| 14 | 168.86 miles (271.75 km) NW | Aiome Airport (AIE) | Aiome, Papua New Guinea | |
| 15 | 174.08 miles (280.15 km) SSE | Kokoda Airport (KKD) | Kokoda, Papua New Guinea | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,714.18 miles (18,852.10 km) N | Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) | Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 2 | 11,635.23 miles (18,725.04 km) NNE | Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport (FOR) | Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil | |
| 3 | 11,608.79 miles (18,682.49 km) NW | São Filipe Airport (SFL) | Fogo, Cape Verde | |
| 4 | 11,594.32 miles (18,659.20 km) NW | Mosteiros Airport (MTI) | Mosteiros, Cape Verde | |
| 5 | 11,576.38 miles (18,630.33 km) NNE | Gov. Dix-Sept Rosado Airport (MVF) | Mossoro, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil | |
| 6 | 11,563.96 miles (18,610.34 km) N | Augusto Severo International Airport (NAT) | Natal, Brazil | |
| 7 | 11,560.62 miles (18,604.97 km) NE | Parnaíba–Prefeito Dr. João Silva Filho International Airport (PHB) | Parnaiba, Piaui, Brazil | |
| 8 | 11,557.57 miles (18,600.06 km) NW | Praia International Airport (RAI) | Praia, Cape Verde | |
| 9 | 11,536.25 miles (18,565.75 km) NW | Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE) | São Vicente, Cape Verde | |
| 10 | 11,532.99 miles (18,560.49 km) NW | Maio Airport (MMO) | Maio, Cape Verde | |
| 11 | 11,517.64 miles (18,535.79 km) NW | Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO) | Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde | |
| 12 | 11,516.19 miles (18,533.47 km) NE | Barreirinhas Airport (BRB) | Barreirinhas, Maranhão, Brazil | |
| 13 | 11,515.76 miles (18,532.78 km) NW | Preguiça Airport (SNE) | São Nicolau, Cape Verde | |
| 14 | 11,482.14 miles (18,478.67 km) S | Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA) | João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 15 | 11,472.16 miles (18,462.61 km) NW | Aristides Pereira International Airport (BVC) | Boa Vista, Cape Verde | |