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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Fagernes Airport, Leirin (VDB), Fagernes, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,077 miles (or 8,171 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 Fagernes Airport, Leirin, 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 Fagernes Airport, Leirin. 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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• 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 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 airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• 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 Fagernes Airport, Leirin (VDB):

• The furthest airport from Fagernes Airport, Leirin (VDB) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,225 miles (18,064 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• An agreement for the provision of subsidies on services to Oslo and Bergen was not reached with the Ministry of Transport until 1990.
• The Danish company Dot Lt provides a scheduled service from Fagernes to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen throughout the year.
• The airport was originally planned as a conventional regional airport, but during its construction it was redesigned to accommodate larger jet aircraft.
• The closest airport to Fagernes Airport, Leirin (VDB) is Gol Airport, Klanten (GLL), which is located only 17 miles (28 kilometers) SSW of VDB.
• Coast Air continued to provide a service until 1 August 1996, when Fagernes became a trial for the use of public service obligations for regional aviation in Norway.
• Fagernes Airport, Leirin handled 7,661 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "Fagernes Airport, Leirin", another name for VDB is "Fagernes lufthavn, Leirin".