Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Valle de la Pascua, Guárico, Venezuela:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to VDP:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- VDP Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about VDP
- 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 VDP
- List of Nearest Airports to VDP
- Map of Furthest Airports from VDP
- List of Furthest Airports from VDP
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Valle de la Pascua Airport (VDP), Valle de la Pascua, Guárico, Venezuela would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,904 miles (or 6,283 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 Valle de la Pascua 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 Valle de la Pascua 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: | VDP / SVVP |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Valle de la Pascua, Guárico, Venezuela |
GPS Coordinates: | 9°13'18"N by 65°59'35"W |
Area Served: | Valle de la Pascua, Venezuela |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 410 feet (125 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from VDP |
More Information: | VDP Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (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.
- 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 covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- 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.
Facts about Valle de la Pascua Airport (VDP):
- Because of Valle de la Pascua Airport's relatively low elevation of 410 feet, planes can take off or land at Valle de la Pascua 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.
- In addition to being known as "Valle de la Pascua Airport", another name for VDP is "Valle de la Pascua".
- Valle de la Pascua Airport (VDP) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Valle de la Pascua Airport (VDP) is Calabozo Airport (CLZ), which is located 99 miles (160 kilometers) WSW of VDP.
- The furthest airport from Valle de la Pascua Airport (VDP) is Blimbingsari Airport (BWX), which is nearly antipodal to Valle de la Pascua Airport (meaning Valle de la Pascua Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Blimbingsari Airport), and is located 12,370 miles (19,907 kilometers) away in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, Java Island, Indonesia.