Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Leigh Creek, South Australia, Australia:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to LGH:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- LGH Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about LGH
- 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 LGH
- List of Nearest Airports to LGH
- Map of Furthest Airports from LGH
- List of Furthest Airports from LGH
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Leigh Creek Airport (LGH), Leigh Creek, South Australia, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,020 miles (or 12,907 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 Leigh 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 Leigh 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: | LGH / YLEC |
Airport Name: | Leigh Creek Airport |
Location: | Leigh Creek, South Australia, Australia |
GPS Coordinates: | 30°35'53"S by 138°25'36"E |
Operator/Owner: | Flinders Energy |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 856 feet (261 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from LGH |
More Information: | LGH Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Leigh Creek Airport (LGH):
- Leigh Creek Airport (LGH) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Leigh Creek Airport (LGH) is Wilpena Pound (HWK), which is located 67 miles (108 kilometers) S of LGH.
- The furthest airport from Leigh Creek Airport (LGH) is Flores Airport (FLW), which is located 11,587 miles (18,648 kilometers) away in Flores Island, Azores, Portugal.
- Because of Leigh Creek Airport's relatively low elevation of 856 feet, planes can take off or land at Leigh 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.