Nonstop flight route between Arras / Roclincourt, France and Atwater, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Arras - Roclincourt Airport (QRV), Arras / Roclincourt, France and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,469 miles (or 8,801 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 Arras - Roclincourt Airport and Castle 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 Arras - Roclincourt Airport and Castle 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 Arras - Roclincourt Airport (QRV):

• In addition to being known as "Arras - Roclincourt Airport", another name for QRV is "Aéroport d'Arras - Roclincourt".
• The closest airport to Arras - Roclincourt Airport (QRV) is Lille Airport (LIL), which is located 21 miles (33 kilometers) NE of QRV.
• Arras - Roclincourt Airport (QRV) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Arras - Roclincourt Airport (QRV) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,985 miles (19,289 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Arras - Roclincourt Airport's relatively low elevation of 337 feet, planes can take off or land at Arras - Roclincourt 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 Castle Airport (MER):

• 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.
• 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.
• 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 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 (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
• 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 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.