Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Puerto Cabezas Airport (PUZ), Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,792 miles (or 4,493 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 Puerto Cabezas 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 Puerto Cabezas 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):

• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• 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.
• 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 covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
• 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 Puerto Cabezas Airport (PUZ):

• Puerto Cabezas Airport (PUZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Puerto Cabezas Airport (PUZ) is Waspam Airport (WSP), which is located 62 miles (100 kilometers) NW of PUZ.
• Because of Puerto Cabezas Airport's relatively low elevation of 69 feet, planes can take off or land at Puerto Cabezas 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 new air terminal has a total area of 477 m2 and a 2,400 m2 parking lot for 30 vehicles.
• The furthest airport from Puerto Cabezas Airport (PUZ) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Puerto Cabezas Airport (meaning Puerto Cabezas Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,308 miles (19,808 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.