Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and San Juan, Puerto Rico:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to SIG:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- SIG Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about SIG
- 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 SIG
- List of Nearest Airports to SIG
- Map of Furthest Airports from SIG
- List of Furthest Airports from SIG
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG), San Juan, Puerto Rico would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,519 miles (or 5,663 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 Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci 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 Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport. 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: | SIG / TJIG |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
GPS Coordinates: | 18°27'24"N by 66°5'53"W |
Area Served: | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Operator/Owner: | Puerto Rico Ports Authority |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 9 feet (3 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SIG |
More Information: | SIG Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
- 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.
Facts about Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG):
- The furthest airport from Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is nearly antipodal to Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (meaning Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Barrow Island Airport), and is located 12,244 miles (19,704 kilometers) away in Barrow Island, Western Australia, Australia.
- In addition to being known as "Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport", another name for SIG is "Isla Grande AirportAeropuerto Isla Grande".
- The closest airport to Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG) is Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) E of SIG.
- Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG) currently has only 1 runway.
- Originally constructed by the U.S.
- In 2006, after a detailed impact study and many rumors about the future of the airport, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority announced that Isla Grande airport would remain open for the foreseeable future, mostly because of its key function as the primary reliever for the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.
- Because of Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport's relatively low elevation of 9 feet, planes can take off or land at Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci 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.