Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Stord, Hordaland, Norway:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP), Stord, Hordaland, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,053 miles (or 8,132 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 Stord Airport, Sørstokken, 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 Stord Airport, Sørstokken. 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):

• 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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• 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 is a public use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Merced, a city in Merced County, California, United States.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• 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 Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP):

• In addition to being known as "Stord Airport, Sørstokken", other names for SRP include "Stord lufthavn, Sørstokken" and "ENSO".
• Following the decline in the shipyard industry in 1973 and 1974, the yards in Stord started a processes to move their attention to the offshore petroleum industry.
• The closest airport to Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP) is Haugesund Airport, Karmøy (HAU), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) S of SRP.
• Because of Stord Airport, Sørstokken's relatively low elevation of 161 feet, planes can take off or land at Stord Airport, Sørstokken 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 Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,330 miles (18,234 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The municipal chief-of-administration concluded that there would be need for an airport in Stord, but stated that the municipality lacked funds.
• Furdal wanted the airport to have a longer runway so he could operate larger aircraft.
• Stord Airport, Sørstokken handled 30,711 passengers last year.
• In September 1984, the Ministry of Finance granted NOK 8 million to the airport.
• The instrument landing system was operational from 1 August 1986 and on 12 August Coast Aero Center started their two routes, suing a ten-seat Beechcraft Super King 200 One week later, the ministry changed the concession for the Oslo and Skien route, so it was also awarded to Coast Aero Center.
• Stord Airport, Sørstokken (SRP) currently has only 1 runway.