Nonstop flight route between Ponce, Puerto Rico and Chu Lai, Quang Nam, Vietnam:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mercedita Airport (PSE), Ponce, Puerto Rico and Chu Lai Airport (VCL), Chu Lai, Quang Nam, Vietnam would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,106 miles (or 16,264 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 Mercedita Airport and Chu Lai 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 Mercedita Airport and Chu Lai 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 Mercedita Airport (PSE):

• In 1949, however, it was determined that the runway of the Ponce Airport at the nearby Losey Field no longer met the newer and more stringent minimum airport safety requirements, and airport operations were suspended.
• Because of Mercedita Airport's relatively low elevation of 29 feet, planes can take off or land at Mercedita 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 Mercedita Airport (PSE) is Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport (ARE), which is located 31 miles (51 kilometers) NNW of PSE.
• In February 2009, Ponce mayor María Meléndez sought transfer of the airport from the Puerto Rico central government to the Ponce Municipal government amidst discontent with the bureaucracy at the central government that could be avoided if the airport was locally managed.
• The Puerto Rico Ports Authority recently announced an investment of 7 million dollars to extend Mercedita's runway to 8,000 feet.
• The first scheduled commercial flights at Mercedita occurred in 1965 when domestic flights started.
• In addition to being known as "Mercedita Airport", other names for PSE include "Aeropuerto Mercedita" and "18.00'30"N, 66.33'47"W".
• The furthest airport from Mercedita Airport (PSE) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is nearly antipodal to Mercedita Airport (meaning Mercedita Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Barrow Island Airport), and is located 12,201 miles (19,636 kilometers) away in Barrow Island, Western Australia, Australia.
• Mercedita Airport (PSE) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Chu Lai Airport (VCL):

• As of 2008, Chu Lai International Airport is the largest airfield in Vietnam in terms of area, covering 30 km².
• In the Vietnam War, this airfield was an airbase of the United States Marines.
• In addition to being known as "Chu Lai Airport", other names for VCL include "Sân bay Chu Lai" and "VVCA".
• The closest airport to Chu Lai Airport (VCL) is Đà Nẵng International Airport (DAD), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) NW of VCL.
• The government of Vietnam has approved an investment plan for this airport.
• The furthest airport from Chu Lai Airport (VCL) is Rodríguez Ballón International Airport (AQP), which is nearly antipodal to Chu Lai Airport (meaning Chu Lai Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Rodríguez Ballón International Airport), and is located 12,369 miles (19,907 kilometers) away in Arequipa, Peru.