Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Mmabatho, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(25°48'27"S by 25°32'39"E)
Distance from MER to MBD:
10,302.50 miles (16,580.22 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- MBD Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about MBD
- 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 MBD
- List of Nearest Airports to MBD
- Map of Furthest Airports from MBD
- List of Furthest Airports from MBD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Mafikeng Airport (MBD), Mmabatho, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,302 miles (or 16,580 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 Mafikeng 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 Mafikeng 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: | MBD / FAMM |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Mmabatho, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 25°48'27"S by 25°32'39"E |
| Area Served: | Mafikeng, South Africa |
| Operator/Owner: | Government |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 4181 feet (1,274 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MBD |
| More Information: | MBD Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- 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.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
Facts about Mafikeng Airport (MBD):
- Because of Mafikeng Airport's high elevation of 4,181 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at MBD. Combined with a high temperature, this could make MBD a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Mafikeng Airport (MBD) is Kalaupapa Airport (LUP), which is nearly antipodal to Mafikeng Airport (meaning Mafikeng Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Kalaupapa Airport), and is located 12,081 miles (19,443 kilometers) away in Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States.
- Mafikeng Airport (MBD) currently has only 1 runway.
- In addition to being known as "Mafikeng Airport", another name for MBD is "Mmabatho Airport".
- The closest airport to Mafikeng Airport (MBD) is Lobatse Airport (LOQ), which is located 43 miles (70 kilometers) NNE of MBD.
| 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 | 43.45 miles (69.93 km) NNE | Lobatse Airport (LOQ) | Lobatse, Botswana | |
| 2 | 89.62 miles (144.23 km) NNE | Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) | Gaborone, Botswana | |
| 3 | 98.86 miles (159.10 km) NNW | Jwaneng Airport (JWA) | Jwaneng, Botswana | |
| 4 | 106.67 miles (171.67 km) ENE | Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY) | Pilanesberg, South Africa | |
| 5 | 148.34 miles (238.73 km) E | Lanseria International Airport (HLA) | Lanseria, South Africa | |
| 6 | 161.80 miles (260.39 km) E | Grand Central Airport (GCJ) | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| 7 | 164.61 miles (264.91 km) E | Rand Airport (QRA) | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| 8 | 167.13 miles (268.97 km) E | Wonderboom Airport (PRY) | Pretoria, South Africa | |
| 9 | 169.37 miles (272.57 km) E | O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) | Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 10 | 174.18 miles (280.31 km) SW | Johan Pienaar Airport (KMH) | Kuruman, South Africa | |
| 11 | 183.09 miles (294.65 km) ESE | Heidelberg Airport (HDB) | Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | |
| 12 | 212.36 miles (341.75 km) SSW | Kimberley Airport (KIM) | Kimberley, South Africa | |
| 13 | 231.79 miles (373.03 km) SSE | Bloemfontein International Airport (BFN) | Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa | |
| 14 | 260.86 miles (419.81 km) SE | Leribe Airport (LRB) | Leribe, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 268.46 miles (432.05 km) WNW | Hukuntsi Airport (HUK) | Hukuntsi, Botswana | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,081.43 miles (19,443.13 km) NNE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 12,076.67 miles (19,435.46 km) NNE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 12,075.25 miles (19,433.18 km) NNE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 12,074.28 miles (19,431.63 km) NNE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 12,073.76 miles (19,430.79 km) NNE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 12,061.80 miles (19,411.53 km) NE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 12,060.85 miles (19,410.00 km) NE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 12,056.85 miles (19,403.56 km) NE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 12,056.85 miles (19,403.56 km) NE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 12,055.41 miles (19,401.25 km) NNE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 12,050.73 miles (19,393.72 km) NE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 12,043.61 miles (19,382.26 km) NNE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 12,035.62 miles (19,369.41 km) NE | Princeville Airport (HPV) | Hanalei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 12,030.37 miles (19,360.96 km) NE | Lihue Airport (LIH) | Lihue, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 12,028.29 miles (19,357.61 km) N | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |