Nonstop flight route between Shijiazhuang, China and Atwater, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (SJW), Shijiazhuang, China and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,136 miles (or 9,876 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 Shijiazhuang Zhengding International 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 Shijiazhuang Zhengding International 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 Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (SJW):

• The Beijing–Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong High-Speed Railway passes within about 3 km south of the airport's terminal.
• The closest airport to Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (SJW) is Xingtai Dalian Airport (XNT), which is located 98 miles (157 kilometers) S of SJW.
• In addition to being known as "Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport", other names for SJW include "石家莊正定國際機場" and "Shíjiāzhuāng Zhèngdìng Guójì Jīchǎng".
• The furthest airport from Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (SJW) is Santa Rosa Airport (RSA), which is nearly antipodal to Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (meaning Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Santa Rosa Airport), and is located 12,307 miles (19,807 kilometers) away in Santa Rosa, Argentina.
• Because of Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport's relatively low elevation of 233 feet, planes can take off or land at Shijiazhuang Zhengding International 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.
• Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (SJW) currently has only 1 runway.
• Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport handled 4,021,167 passengers last year.

Facts about Castle Airport (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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• 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.
• Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
• 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.