Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW), Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,938 miles (or 12,775 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 Moorabbin Harry Hawker 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 Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

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.
• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• 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 furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• 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.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
• It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
• The EPA currently has this base listed on their database due to the bulk wastes such as solvents, oils, fuels, and sludges which were disposed in pits at landfills around the base until 1977.

Facts about Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW):

• "At last the man they believe to be the finest Australian pioneering aviator in history will be acknowledge"
• Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW) has 5 runways.
• The closest airport to Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW) is Essendon Airport (MEB), which is located 20 miles (33 kilometers) NNW of MBW.
• Moorabbin Airport is home to the Royal Victorian Aero Club, has five intersecting runways, an air museum, helicopter terminals, a control tower and several flight training facilities.
• In addition to being known as "Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport", other names for MBW include "Harry Hawker Airport" and "Melbourne/Moorabbin Airport".
• Because of Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport's relatively low elevation of 50 feet, planes can take off or land at Moorabbin Harry Hawker 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.
• Moorabbin Airport is a general aviation airport for light aircraft located in between the Melbourne suburbs of Heatherton, Cheltenham, Dingley Village and Mentone, Australia.
• Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport handled 9,766 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (MBW) is Flores Airport (FLW), which is nearly antipodal to Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport (meaning Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Flores Airport), and is located 12,209 miles (19,649 kilometers) away in Flores Island, Azores, Portugal.
• The nearest train station is Cheltenham, approx 3 km from the airport.