Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Grottaglie, Puglia, Italy:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(40°31'2"N by 17°24'11"E)
Distance from MER to TAR:
6,433.42 miles (10,353.55 km)
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- TAR Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about TAR
- 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 TAR
- List of Nearest Airports to TAR
- Map of Furthest Airports from TAR
- List of Furthest Airports from TAR
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Taranto-Grottaglie Airport (TAR), Grottaglie, Puglia, Italy would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,433 miles (or 10,354 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 Taranto-Grottaglie 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 Taranto-Grottaglie 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: | TAR / LIBG |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Grottaglie, Puglia, Italy |
| GPS Coordinates: | 40°31'2"N by 17°24'11"E |
| Area Served: | Taranto / Grottaglie, Italy |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 215 feet (66 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from TAR |
| More Information: | TAR Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Taranto-Grottaglie Airport (TAR):
- The furthest airport from Taranto-Grottaglie Airport (TAR) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,692 miles (18,817 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- The closest airport to Taranto-Grottaglie Airport (TAR) is Brindisi – Salento Airport (BDS), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) ENE of TAR.
- Because of Taranto-Grottaglie Airport's relatively low elevation of 215 feet, planes can take off or land at Taranto-Grottaglie 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.
- Taranto-Grottaglie Airport (TAR) currently has only 1 runway.
- During World War II, Grottaglie Airfield was a military airfield used by the United States Army Air Forces.
- Taranto-Grottaglie "Marcello Arlotta" Airport is an airport serving Taranto and Grottaglie, both comunes in the province of Taranto in Italy.
- The airport resides at an elevation of 215 feet above mean sea level.
- In addition to being known as "Taranto-Grottaglie Airport", other names for TAR include "Aeroporto di Taranto-Grottaglie" and "Taranto Grottaglie".
| 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 | 30.13 miles (48.49 km) ENE | Brindisi – Salento Airport (BDS) | Brindisi, Italy | |
| 2 | 42.97 miles (69.15 km) ESE | Lecce Galatina Airport (LCC) | Lecce, Italy | |
| 3 | 54.51 miles (87.72 km) NW | Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI) | Bari, Italy | |
| 4 | 106.43 miles (171.28 km) S | Crotone Airport (CRV) | Crotone, Italy | |
| 5 | 116.16 miles (186.95 km) WNW | Foggia "Gino Lisa" Airport (FOG) | Foggia, Italy | |
| 6 | 127.34 miles (204.93 km) SSW | Lamezia Terme International Airport (SUF) | Lamezia Terme, Italy | |
| 7 | 130.90 miles (210.67 km) W | Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport (QSR) | Salerno, Italy | |
| 8 | 135.87 miles (218.66 km) ENE | Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA) | Tirana, Albania | |
| 9 | 146.96 miles (236.51 km) ESE | Corfu International Airport "Ioannis Kapodistrias" (CFU) | Corfu, Greece | |
| 10 | 147.22 miles (236.93 km) NNE | Tivat Airport (TIV) | Tivat, Montenegro | |
| 11 | 148.14 miles (238.40 km) NNE | Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) | Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Croatia | |
| 12 | 159.26 miles (256.31 km) NE | Podgorica Airport (TGD) | Golubovci (near Podgorica), Montenegro | |
| 13 | 164.97 miles (265.50 km) W | Naples International Airport (NAP) | Naples, Italy | |
| 14 | 180.41 miles (290.34 km) ENE | Ohrid Airport (OHD) | Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia | |
| 15 | 189.38 miles (304.78 km) ESE | Ioannina National Airport (IOA) | Ioannina, Greece | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,692.46 miles (18,817.15 km) ESE | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,396.78 miles (18,341.29 km) E | Gisborne Airport (GIS) | Gisborne, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,350.03 miles (18,266.06 km) E | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,328.07 miles (18,230.71 km) E | Whakatane Airport (WHK) | Whakatane, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,300.19 miles (18,185.85 km) E | Rotorua International Airport (ROT) | Rotorua, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,299.76 miles (18,185.16 km) E | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,298.50 miles (18,183.12 km) E | Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) | Taupo, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,293.64 miles (18,175.31 km) E | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,285.73 miles (18,162.57 km) E | Tauranga Airport (TRG) | Tauranga, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,265.82 miles (18,130.54 km) E | Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,262.92 miles (18,125.88 km) E | Matamata Airport (MTA) | Matamata, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,259.09 miles (18,119.71 km) E | Wanganui Airport (WAG) | Wanganui, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,259.05 miles (18,119.64 km) E | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,244.01 miles (18,095.44 km) E | Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) | Hamilton, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,241.29 miles (18,091.05 km) E | Thames Aerodrome (TMZ) | Thames, New Zealand | |