Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Tarin Kowt Airport (TII), Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,583 miles (or 12,204 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 Tarin Kowt 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 Tarin Kowt Airport. 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):

• It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
• 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.
• 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.
• Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
• 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 furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.

Facts about Tarin Kowt Airport (TII):

• The closest airport to Tarin Kowt Airport (TII) is Kabul International Airport (KDH), which is located 76 miles (123 kilometers) S of TII.
• In addition to being known as "Tarin Kowt Airport", another name for TII is "Tarin Kowt Airport (Tarin Kowt)".
• The furthest airport from Tarin Kowt Airport (TII) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is located 11,967 miles (19,258 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
• The airport resides at an elevation of 4,495 feet above mean sea level.
• Tarin Kowt Airport (TII) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Tarin Kowt Airport's high elevation of 4,495 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at TII. Combined with a high temperature, this could make TII a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.