Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Comayagua, Honduras:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(14°22'57"N by 87°37'15"W)
Distance from MER to XPL:
2,568.97 miles (4,134.35 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- XPL Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about XPL
- 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 XPL
- List of Nearest Airports to XPL
- Map of Furthest Airports from XPL
- List of Furthest Airports from XPL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Soto Cano Air Base (XPL), Comayagua, Honduras would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,569 miles (or 4,134 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 Soto Cano Air Base, 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 Soto Cano Air Base. 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: | XPL / MHSC |
| Airport Name: | Soto Cano Air Base |
| Location: | Comayagua, Honduras |
| GPS Coordinates: | 14°22'57"N by 87°37'15"W |
| Airport Type: | Military |
| Elevation: | 2060 feet (628 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from XPL |
| More Information: | XPL Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- EPA investigations have been completed at multiple areas of contamination including landfills, discharge areas, chemical disposal areas, fire training areas, fuel spill areas, and polychlorinated biphenyl spill areas.
- 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 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.
- 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.
Facts about Soto Cano Air Base (XPL):
- Personnel assigned to Soto Cano can ride a bus that will transport them to Soto Cano from Tegucigalpa.
- Soto Cano Air Base (XPL) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Soto Cano Air Base (XPL) is Marcala Airport (MRJ), which is located 32 miles (51 kilometers) WSW of XPL.
- The furthest airport from Soto Cano Air Base (XPL) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Soto Cano Air Base (meaning Soto Cano Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,101 miles (19,475 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- In 1990 Honduran President Rafael Leonardo Callejas decreed that commercial cargo flights were authorized to operate from Soto Cano.
- The 612 ABS has among its functions.
- The hooches and metal barracks have no running water.
| 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 | 31.92 miles (51.37 km) WSW | Marcala Airport (MRJ) | Marcala, Honduras | |
| 2 | 34.99 miles (56.31 km) SE | Toncontín International Airport (TGU) | Tegucigalpa, Honduras | |
| 3 | 76.66 miles (123.37 km) NNW | Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (SAP) | San Pedro Sula, Honduras | |
| 4 | 107.07 miles (172.32 km) NNE | Golosón International Airport (LCE) | La Ceiba, Honduras | |
| 5 | 116.14 miles (186.91 km) SW | Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport (SAL) | San Salvador, El Salvador | |
| 6 | 152.41 miles (245.28 km) NNE | Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands (RTB) | Roatán, Honduras | |
| 7 | 156.71 miles (252.21 km) NNW | Big Creek Airport (BGK) | Big Creek, Belize | |
| 8 | 156.81 miles (252.37 km) NNW | Placencia Airport (PLJ) | Placencia, Belize | |
| 9 | 156.89 miles (252.49 km) NNW | Independence Airport (INB) | Independence, Belize | |
| 10 | 182.63 miles (293.91 km) NE | Guanaja Airport (GJA) | Guanaja, Bay Islands, Honduras | |
| 11 | 183.10 miles (294.67 km) SSE | Augusto César Sandino International Airport (MGA) | Managua, Nicaragua | |
| 12 | 184.16 miles (296.37 km) NNW | Dangriga Airport (DGA) | Dangriga, Belize | |
| 13 | 186.77 miles (300.58 km) NNW | Melinda Airport (MDB) | Melinda, Belize | |
| 14 | 194.86 miles (313.60 km) W | La Aurora International Airport (GUA) | Guatemala City, Guatemala | |
| 15 | 196.10 miles (315.60 km) ESE | Siuna Airport (SIU) | Siuna, Nicaragua | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,101.28 miles (19,475.08 km) WSW | Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK) | Cocos Islands, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,498.68 miles (18,505.29 km) WSW | Christmas Island Airport (XCH) | Christmas Island, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,451.88 miles (18,429.97 km) SSW | Rokot Airport (RKI) | Sipura, Indonesia | |
| 4 | 11,442.60 miles (18,415.04 km) SW | Fatmawati Soekarno Airport (BKS) | Bengkulu, Indonesia | |
| 5 | 11,385.38 miles (18,322.95 km) SW | Depati Parbo Airport (KRC) | Kerinci, Indonesia | |
| 6 | 11,361.44 miles (18,284.42 km) SW | Radin Inten II Airport (RIA II) (TKG) | Bandar Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 7 | 11,353.35 miles (18,271.41 km) SSW | Minangkabau International Airport (MIA) (PDG) | Ketaping, West Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 8 | 11,332.03 miles (18,237.08 km) SW | Gunung Batin Airport (AKQ) | Astraksetra, Indonesia | |
| 9 | 11,311.74 miles (18,204.44 km) WSW | Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |
| 10 | 11,302.95 miles (18,190.29 km) WSW | Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (HLP) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |
| 11 | 11,302.39 miles (18,189.39 km) SSW | Binaka Airport (GNS) | Gunungsitoli, Nias Island, Indonesia | |
| 12 | 11,283.39 miles (18,158.81 km) WSW | Husein Sastranegara International Airport (HSA) (BDO) | Bandung, Indonesia | |
| 13 | 11,281.31 miles (18,155.46 km) SW | Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport (SMB II) (PLM) | Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 14 | 11,267.68 miles (18,133.52 km) SW | Sultan Thaha Airport (DJB) | Jambi, Indonesia | |
| 15 | 11,256.27 miles (18,115.16 km) WSW | Cibeureum Airfield (TSY) | Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia | |