Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Gloppen, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Sandane Airport, Anda (SDN), Gloppen, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,966 miles (or 7,992 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 Sandane Airport, Anda, 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 Sandane Airport, Anda. 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):

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• 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.

Facts about Sandane Airport, Anda (SDN):

• In 2009, the travel magazine Travel and Leisure claimed Sandane to be one of the 17 scariest runways in the world.
• The only airline at the airport is Widerøe who operates regional Dash 8 aircraft on public service obligation contract with the Norwegian Government.
• The closest airport to Sandane Airport, Anda (SDN) is Ørsta–Volda Airport, Hovden (HOV), which is located 24 miles (39 kilometers) N of SDN.
• The furthest airport from Sandane Airport, Anda (SDN) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,187 miles (18,004 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Sandane Airport, Anda handled 36,491 passengers last year.
• Sandane Airport, Anda (SDN) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Sandane Airport, Anda's relatively low elevation of 196 feet, planes can take off or land at Sandane Airport, Anda 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.