Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Saattut, Greenland:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to SAE:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- SAE Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about SAE
- 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 SAE
- List of Nearest Airports to SAE
- Map of Furthest Airports from SAE
- List of Furthest Airports from SAE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Saattut Heliport (SAE), Saattut, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,326 miles (or 5,353 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 Saattut Heliport, 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 Saattut Heliport. 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: | SAE / BGST |
Airport Name: | Saattut Heliport |
Location: | Saattut, Greenland |
GPS Coordinates: | 70°48'42"N by 51°37'59"W |
Area Served: | Saattut, Greenland |
Operator/Owner: | Mittarfeqarfiit |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 131 feet (40 meters) |
View all routes: | Routes from SAE |
More Information: | SAE Maps & Info |
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 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.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- Since the mid-1940s, aircraft maintenance, fuel management, and fire training activities on the base have generated wastes that consist primarily of waste fuels, oils, solvents, and cleaners.
Facts about Saattut Heliport (SAE):
- The closest airport to Saattut Heliport (SAE) is Uummannaq Heliport (UMD), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) SW of SAE.
- Because of Saattut Heliport's relatively low elevation of 131 feet, planes can take off or land at Saattut Heliport 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 Saattut Heliport (SAE) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 10,394 miles (16,728 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.