Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Aix-en-Provence / Les Milles, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB), Aix-en-Provence / Les Milles, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,903 miles (or 9,499 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 Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome, 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 Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome. 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 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.
• 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.
• It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of 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.

Facts about Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB):

• In addition to being known as "Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome", other names for QXB include "'Aérodrome d'Aix-en-Provence(Advanced Landing Ground Y-15)" and "(Advanced Landing Ground Y-15)".
• The closest airport to Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB) is Marseille Provence Airport (MRS), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) WSW of QXB.
• The furthest airport from Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (meaning Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,343 miles (19,864 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome's relatively low elevation of 368 feet, planes can take off or land at Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome 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.
• Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB) currently has only 1 runway.