Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Richmond, Virginia, United States:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(37°30'18"N by 77°19'9"W)
Distance from MER to RIC:
2,350.99 miles (3,783.55 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- RIC Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about RIC
- 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 RIC
- List of Nearest Airports to RIC
- Map of Furthest Airports from RIC
- List of Furthest Airports from RIC
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Richmond International Airport (RIC), Richmond, Virginia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,351 miles (or 3,784 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 relatively short distance between Castle Airport and Richmond International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | RIC / KRIC |
| Airport Name: | Richmond International Airport |
| Location: | Richmond, Virginia, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°30'18"N by 77°19'9"W |
| Area Served: | Richmond, Virginia |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 167 feet (51 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from RIC |
| More Information: | RIC Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
- 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 (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.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Richmond International Airport (RIC):
- Because of Richmond International Airport's relatively low elevation of 167 feet, planes can take off or land at Richmond International 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 Richmond International Airport (RIC) is A.P. Hill Army Airfield (APH), which is located 39 miles (63 kilometers) N of RIC.
- A terminal building designed by Marcellus Wright and Son was completed in 1950.
- The current president and CEO of the airport is Jon Mathiasen.
- Richmond International Airport handled 3,311,747 passengers last year.
- The furthest airport from Richmond International Airport (RIC) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,698 miles (18,827 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The airport was dedicated as Richard Evelyn Byrd Flying Field in 1927 in honor of aviator Richard E.
- In November 2012, RIC served 262,146 passengers.
- Richmond International Airport (RIC) has 3 runways.
- Richmond International Airport is the busiest airport in central Virginia.
| 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 | 38.96 miles (62.70 km) N | A.P. Hill Army Airfield (APH) | Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, United States | |
| 2 | 45.81 miles (73.72 km) SW | Blackstone Army Airfield Allen C. Perkinson Airport (BKT) | Blackstone, Virginia, United States | |
| 3 | 49.79 miles (80.13 km) NW | Louisa County Airport (LOW) | Louisa, Virginia, United States | |
| 4 | 52.21 miles (84.03 km) ESE | Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF) | Newport News, Virginia, United States | |
| 5 | 60.24 miles (96.95 km) ESE | Langley Field (LFI) | Hampton, Virginia, United States | |
| 6 | 60.27 miles (97.00 km) SSE | Franklin Municipal Airport (FKN) | Franklin, Virginia, United States | |
| 7 | 64.79 miles (104.27 km) NW | Orange County Airport (OMH) | Orange, Virginia, United States | |
| 8 | 67.54 miles (108.69 km) SE | Naval Station Norfolk (NGU) | Norfolk, Virginia, United States | |
| 9 | 69.95 miles (112.58 km) NE | St. Mary's County Regional Airport (LTW) | Leonardtown, Maryland, United States | |
| 10 | 73.23 miles (117.85 km) NE | Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NHK) | Patuxent River, Maryland, United States | |
| 11 | 74.61 miles (120.06 km) SE | Norfolk International Airport (ORF) | Norfolk, Virginia (near Virginia Beach and Williamsburg), United States | |
| 12 | 75.78 miles (121.95 km) NW | Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO) | Charlottesville, Virginia, United States | |
| 13 | 76.71 miles (123.45 km) SSW | Halifax County Airport (RZZ) | Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, United States | |
| 14 | 83.94 miles (135.09 km) N | Davison Army Airfield (DAA) | Fort Belvoir, Virginia, United States | |
| 15 | 84.72 miles (136.34 km) N | Manassas Regional Airport (HEF) | Manassas, Virginia, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,698.32 miles (18,826.58 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,675.83 miles (18,790.37 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,652.48 miles (18,752.80 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,651.61 miles (18,751.40 km) WSW | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,614.94 miles (18,692.39 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,600.94 miles (18,669.85 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,591.10 miles (18,654.02 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,576.22 miles (18,630.07 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,571.36 miles (18,622.26 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,556.58 miles (18,598.46 km) WSW | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,518.40 miles (18,537.03 km) SW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,482.27 miles (18,478.88 km) SW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,478.25 miles (18,472.40 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,467.49 miles (18,455.09 km) SW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,411.81 miles (18,365.49 km) SW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |