Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Talkeetna, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from MER to TKA:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- TKA Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about TKA
- 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 TKA
- List of Nearest Airports to TKA
- Map of Furthest Airports from TKA
- List of Furthest Airports from TKA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Talkeetna Airport (TKA), Talkeetna, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,129 miles (or 3,427 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 relatively short distance between Castle Airport and Talkeetna Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | TKA / PATK |
| Airport Name: | Talkeetna Airport |
| Location: | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 62°19'14"N by 150°5'36"W |
| Area Served: | Talkeetna, Alaska |
| Operator/Owner: | State of Alaska DOT&PF - Central Region |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 358 feet (109 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from TKA |
| More Information: | TKA Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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 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 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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- 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.
Facts about Talkeetna Airport (TKA):
- The closest airport to Talkeetna Airport (TKA) is Willow Airport (WOW), which is located 39 miles (63 kilometers) S of TKA.
- Talkeetna Airport covers an area of 624 acres at an elevation of 358 feet above mean sea level.
- Talkeetna Airport (TKA) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Talkeetna Airport's relatively low elevation of 358 feet, planes can take off or land at Talkeetna 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.
- The airport is home to at least seven air taxi operations, and is very busy during tourist season because of its proximity to Mount McKinley.
- The furthest airport from Talkeetna Airport (TKA) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,470 miles (16,850 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
