Nonstop flight route between Valence, France and Merced, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(44°54'56"N by 4°58'6"E)
Arrival Airport:
(37°17'4"N by 120°30'50"W)
Distance from VAF to MCE:
5,819.18 miles (9,365.04 km)
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- About this route
- VAF Airport Information
- MCE Airport Information
- Facts about VAF
- Facts about MCE
- Map of Nearest Airports to VAF
- List of Nearest Airports to VAF
- Map of Furthest Airports from VAF
- List of Furthest Airports from VAF
- Map of Nearest Airports to MCE
- List of Nearest Airports to MCE
- Map of Furthest Airports from MCE
- List of Furthest Airports from MCE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF), Valence, France and Merced Regional Airport (MCE), Merced, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,819 miles (or 9,365 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport and Merced Regional 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport and Merced Regional Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | VAF / LFLU |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Valence, France |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°54'56"N by 4°58'6"E |
| Area Served: | Valence, Drôme, France |
| Operator/Owner: | Department of Drôme |
| Airport Type: | Public / Military |
| Elevation: | 525 feet (160 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from VAF |
| More Information: | VAF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MCE / KMCE |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Merced, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°17'4"N by 120°30'50"W |
| Area Served: | Merced, California |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Merced |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 155 feet (47 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MCE |
| More Information: | MCE Maps & Info |
Facts about Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF):
- The closest airport to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Grenoble–Isère Airport (GNB), which is located 36 miles (57 kilometers) NNE of VAF.
- In addition to being known as "Valence - Chabeuil Airport", other names for VAF include "Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) Y-23" and "Aéroport de Valence - Chabeuil".
- Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) has 3 runways.
- The furthest airport from Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (meaning Valence - Chabeuil Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,333 miles (19,848 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- The airport's origin dates from the 1930s when the French Air Force established Valence-Chabeuil Air Base.
- Valence - Chabeuil Airport is an airport in France, located about 5 miles east of Valence and approximately 300 miles south-southeast of Paris.
- In 1945 the Armée de l'Air returned to its airfield and it returned to its prewar status as an active air base.
- Because of Valence - Chabeuil Airport's relatively low elevation of 525 feet, planes can take off or land at Valence - Chabeuil 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 Merced Regional Airport (MCE):
- The furthest airport from Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,314 miles (18,209 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- In 1946 United Airlines built offices and a terminal building and began one Douglas DC-3 flight each way a day.
- Because of Merced Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 155 feet, planes can take off or land at Merced Regional 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 1943 New Merced Municipal Airport was leased to the U.S.
- In 1941 construction delays at the Air Corps Basic Flying School site forced the Army to lease the original Merced Municipal Airport, resulting in the first aircraft assigned to the Air Corps Basic Flying School being stored at Merced Municipal Airport and giving the Basic Flying School its first usable axillary field.
- Bus connections to Yosemite National Park are available through the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System.
- In addition to being known as "Merced Regional Airport", another name for MCE is "MacReady Field".
- Merced Regional Airport (MCE) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Castle Airport (MER), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNW of MCE.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 35.57 miles (57.24 km) NNE | Grenoble–Isère Airport (GNB) | Grenoble, France |     |
| 2 | 53.81 miles (86.60 km) S | Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (XOG) | Orange, France | |
| 3 | 54.17 miles (87.18 km) NW | Saint-Étienne–Bouthéon Airport (EBU) | Saint-Étienne / Bouthéon, France | |
| 4 | 55.82 miles (89.84 km) ENE | Alpe d'Huez Airport (AHZ) | Alpe d'Huez, France | |
| 5 | 56.23 miles (90.50 km) N | Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) | Lyon, France | |
| 6 | 56.25 miles (90.53 km) N | Lyon–Bron Airport (LYN) | Lyon, France | |
| 7 | 59.97 miles (96.51 km) WNW | Le Puy - Loudes Airport (LPY) | Le Puy-en-Velay / Loudes, Haute-Loire, France | |
| 8 | 66.88 miles (107.64 km) NE | Chambéry Airport (CMF) | Chambéry, France | |
| 9 | 69.79 miles (112.31 km) S | Avignon - Caumont Airport (AVN) | Avignon, France | |
| 10 | 84.54 miles (136.05 km) SSW | Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes Airport (FNI) | Nîmes-Arles-Camargue, France | |
| 11 | 85.43 miles (137.49 km) ENE | Méribel Airport (MFX) | Meribel, France | |
| 12 | 87.73 miles (141.18 km) ENE | Courchevel Airport (CVF) | Courchevel, France | |
| 13 | 88.51 miles (142.45 km) ESE | Barcelonnette - Saint-Pons Airport (BAE) | Barcelonnette / Saint-Pons, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France | |
| 14 | 90.49 miles (145.63 km) N | Bourg - Ceyzériat Airport (XBK) | Bourg-en-Bresse, France | |
| 15 | 96.13 miles (154.70 km) S | Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) | Istres, France | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,332.90 miles (19,847.83 km) SE | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,892.27 miles (19,138.71 km) ESE | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,877.44 miles (19,114.84 km) SE | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,874.85 miles (19,110.67 km) SE | Gisborne Airport (GIS) | Gisborne, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,867.99 miles (19,099.63 km) ESE | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,865.64 miles (19,095.85 km) ESE | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,861.33 miles (19,088.91 km) ESE | Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,843.83 miles (19,060.76 km) ESE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,831.32 miles (19,040.62 km) ESE | Woodbourne Airport (BHE) | Blenheim, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,825.78 miles (19,031.70 km) ESE | Wanganui Airport (WAG) | Wanganui, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,813.61 miles (19,012.12 km) E | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,811.96 miles (19,009.46 km) SE | Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) | Taupo, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,798.91 miles (18,988.46 km) SE | Whakatane Airport (WHK) | Whakatane, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,794.44 miles (18,981.27 km) ESE | Nelson AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Whakatū (NSN) | Nelson, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,788.30 miles (18,971.38 km) SE | Rotorua International Airport (ROT) | Rotorua, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.26 miles (11.68 km) NNW | Castle Airport (MER) | Atwater, California, United States | |
| 2 | 24.85 miles (40.00 km) SW | Los Banos Municipal Airport (LSN) | Los Banos, California, United States | |
| 3 | 30.12 miles (48.48 km) SE | Madera Municipal Airport (MAE) | Madera, California, United States | |
| 4 | 33.75 miles (54.32 km) NW | Modesto City-County Airport (MOD) | Modesto, California, United States | |
| 5 | 33.80 miles (54.40 km) WNW | NASA Crows Landing Airport (NRC) | Crows Landing, California, United States | |
| 6 | 51.82 miles (83.39 km) N | Columbia Airport (COA) | Columbia, California, United States | |
| 7 | 54.05 miles (86.99 km) SE | Fresno Chandler Executive AirportChandler Municipal Airport (Old) (FCH) | Fresno, California, United States | |
| 8 | 56.17 miles (90.40 km) SE | Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) | Fresno, California, United States | |
| 9 | 56.32 miles (90.64 km) WSW | Hollister Municipal Airport (HLI) | Hollister, California, United States | |
| 10 | 57.85 miles (93.10 km) NW | Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) | Stockton, California, United States | |
| 11 | 71.84 miles (115.61 km) W | Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV) | San Jose, California, United States | |
| 12 | 72.73 miles (117.05 km) SSE | Naval Air Station Lemoore (NLC) | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| 13 | 74.05 miles (119.17 km) SW | Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) | Salinas, California, United States | |
| 14 | 74.32 miles (119.60 km) WSW | Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI) | Watsonville, California, United States | |
| 15 | 76.99 miles (123.90 km) WNW | Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) | Livermore, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,314.37 miles (18,208.66 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 2 | 11,307.39 miles (18,197.43 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 3 | 11,279.28 miles (18,152.20 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 4 | 11,267.22 miles (18,132.79 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 5 | 11,207.12 miles (18,036.06 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 11,203.48 miles (18,030.21 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 7 | 11,141.12 miles (17,929.85 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,115.41 miles (17,888.48 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,013.77 miles (17,724.89 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,010.70 miles (17,719.97 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 10,995.65 miles (17,695.73 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 10,977.40 miles (17,666.37 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 10,967.52 miles (17,650.47 km) SSE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,948.55 miles (17,619.94 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 10,923.94 miles (17,580.34 km) SE | Belo sur Tsiribihina Airport (BMD) | Belo sur Tsiribihina, Madagascar | |