Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Luganville, Vanuatu:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(15°30'20"S by 167°13'17"E)
Distance from MER to SON:
5,934.57 miles (9,550.74 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- SON Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about SON
- 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 SON
- List of Nearest Airports to SON
- Map of Furthest Airports from SON
- List of Furthest Airports from SON
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Santo-Pekoa International Airport (SON), Luganville, Vanuatu would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,935 miles (or 9,551 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 Santo-Pekoa International 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 Santo-Pekoa International 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: | SON / NVSS |
| Airport Name: | Santo-Pekoa International Airport |
| Location: | Luganville, Vanuatu |
| GPS Coordinates: | 15°30'20"S by 167°13'17"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Airports Vanuatu Limited |
| Elevation: | 184 feet (56 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SON |
| More Information: | SON Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
- 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 Santo-Pekoa International Airport (SON):
- Because of Santo-Pekoa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 184 feet, planes can take off or land at Santo-Pekoa 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.
- Santo-Pekoa International Airport (SON) currently has only 1 runway.
- The Thirteenth Air Force was based at Pekoa from 13 January 1943 until 20 January 1944 when it moved to Carney Airfield on Guadalcanal.
- The furthest airport from Santo-Pekoa International Airport (SON) is Ouro Sogui Airport (MAX), which is nearly antipodal to Santo-Pekoa International Airport (meaning Santo-Pekoa International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ouro Sogui Airport), and is located 12,400 miles (19,956 kilometers) away in Matam, Senegal.
- The closest airport to Santo-Pekoa International Airport (SON) is Norsup Airport (NUS), which is located 41 miles (67 kilometers) SSE of SON.
| 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 | 41.40 miles (66.63 km) SSE | Norsup Airport (NUS) | Norsup, Malakula island, Vanuatu | |
| 2 | 51.55 miles (82.96 km) ENE | Longana Airport (LOD) | Longana, Ambae Island, Pénama Province, Vanuatu | |
| 3 | 62.03 miles (99.82 km) E | Sara Airport (SSR) | Sara, Vanuatu | |
| 4 | 67.22 miles (108.19 km) ENE | Maewo-Naone Airport (MWF) | Maewo, Vanuatu | |
| 5 | 67.94 miles (109.34 km) ESE | Lonorore Airport (LNE) | Lonorore, Pentecost Island, Pénama Province, Vanuatu | |
| 6 | 70.24 miles (113.05 km) SE | Craig Cove Airport (CCV) | Craig Cove, Ambrym Island, Malampa, Vanuatu | |
| 7 | 76.29 miles (122.78 km) SSE | Malekoula Airport (LPM) | Lamap, Malampa, Vanuatu | |
| 8 | 92.27 miles (148.49 km) NNE | Gaua Airport (ZGU) | Gaua, Torba, Vanuatu | |
| 9 | 97.10 miles (156.27 km) SE | Lamen Bay Airport (LNB) | Lamen Bay, Epi Island, Shéfa Province, Vanuatu | |
| 10 | 116.22 miles (187.04 km) N | Vanua Lava Airport (SLH) | Sola, Vanua Lava, Torba Province, Vanuatu | |
| 11 | 130.17 miles (209.49 km) SE | Tongoa Airport (TGH) | Tongoa, Shefa Province, Vanuatu | |
| 12 | 131.28 miles (211.28 km) NNE | Mota Lava Airport (MTV) | Mota Lava, Vanuatu | |
| 13 | 132.34 miles (212.99 km) SE | Siwo Airport (EAE) | Sangafa, Emae, Shéfa, Vanuatu | |
| 14 | 168.09 miles (270.51 km) SSE | Bauerfield International Airport (VLI) | Port Vila, Vanuatu | |
| 15 | 254.27 miles (409.21 km) SSE | Dillon's Bay Airport (DLY) | Dillon's Bay, Erromango, Taféa, Vanuatu | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,400.07 miles (19,955.93 km) E | Ouro Sogui Airport (MAX) | Matam, Senegal | |
| 2 | 12,392.55 miles (19,943.82 km) WNW | Sélibaby Airport (SEY) | Sélibaby, Mauritania | |
| 3 | 12,386.81 miles (19,934.59 km) NNW | Bakel Airport (BXE) | Bakel, Senegal | |
| 4 | 12,370.56 miles (19,908.44 km) NE | Kaédi Airport (KED) | Kaédi, Mauritania | |
| 5 | 12,320.94 miles (19,828.58 km) NW | Kayes Airport (KYS) | Kayes, Mali | |
| 6 | 12,318.84 miles (19,825.20 km) NW | Kiffa Airport (KFA) | Kiffa, Mauritania | |
| 7 | 12,314.43 miles (19,818.10 km) NE | Abbaye Airport (BGH) | Boghe (Bogué), Mauritania | |
| 8 | 12,301.30 miles (19,796.98 km) NNE | Tambacounda Airport (TUD) | Tambacounda, Senegal | |
| 9 | 12,287.19 miles (19,774.26 km) W | Yélimané Airport (EYL) | Yélimané, Mali | |
| 10 | 12,280.65 miles (19,763.74 km) N | Letfotar Airport (MOM) | Moudjeria, Mauritania | |
| 11 | 12,270.59 miles (19,747.55 km) ENE | Podor Airport (POD) | Podor, Senegal | |
| 12 | 12,263.41 miles (19,735.99 km) NNE | Simenti Airport (SMY) | Simenti, Senegal | |
| 13 | 12,260.31 miles (19,731.00 km) NW | Tamchakett Airport (THT) | Tamchakett, Mauritania | |
| 14 | 12,248.31 miles (19,711.69 km) NE | Boutilimit Airport (OTL) | Boutilimit, Mauritania | |
| 15 | 12,235.04 miles (19,690.34 km) ENE | Richard Toll Airport (RDT) | Richard Toll, Senegal | |