Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to LZR:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- LZR Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about LZR
- 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 LZR
- List of Nearest Airports to LZR
- Map of Furthest Airports from LZR
- List of Furthest Airports from LZR
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Lizard Island Airport (LZR), Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,044 miles (or 11,337 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 Lizard Island 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 Lizard Island 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: | LZR / YLZI |
Airport Name: | Lizard Island Airport |
Location: | Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia |
GPS Coordinates: | 14°40'23"S by 145°27'18"E |
Operator/Owner: | Lizard Island Resort Pty Ltd |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 70 feet (21 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from LZR |
More Information: | LZR 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 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.
- Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
- 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.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Lizard Island Airport (LZR):
- Lizard Island Airport (LZR) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Lizard Island Airport (LZR) is Cooktown Airport (CTN), which is located 56 miles (91 kilometers) SSW of LZR.
- The furthest airport from Lizard Island Airport (LZR) is Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE), which is located 11,789 miles (18,972 kilometers) away in São Vicente, Cape Verde.
- Because of Lizard Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 70 feet, planes can take off or land at Lizard Island 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.