Nonstop flight route between Velikiye Luki, Pskov Oblast, Russia and Atwater, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(56°22'54"N by 30°36'35"E)
Arrival Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Distance from VLU to MER:
5,741.74 miles (9,240.41 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- VLU Airport Information
- MER Airport Information
- Facts about VLU
- Facts about MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to VLU
- List of Nearest Airports to VLU
- Map of Furthest Airports from VLU
- List of Furthest Airports from VLU
- Map of Nearest Airports to MER
- List of Nearest Airports to MER
- Map of Furthest Airports from MER
- List of Furthest Airports from MER
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Velikiye Luki Airport (VLU), Velikiye Luki, Pskov Oblast, Russia and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,742 miles (or 9,240 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 Velikiye Luki 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 Velikiye Luki Airport and Castle Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | VLU / ULOL |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Velikiye Luki, Pskov Oblast, Russia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 56°22'54"N by 30°36'35"E |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 328 feet (100 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from VLU |
| More Information: | VLU Maps & Info |
Arrival 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 |
Facts about Velikiye Luki Airport (VLU):
- Velikiye Luki Airport (VLU) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Velikiye Luki Airport's relatively low elevation of 328 feet, planes can take off or land at Velikiye Luki 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 furthest airport from Velikiye Luki Airport (VLU) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,971 miles (17,657 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- The closest airport to Velikiye Luki Airport (VLU) is Smolensk South Airport (LNX), which is located 127 miles (204 kilometers) SSE of VLU.
- In addition to being known as "Velikiye Luki Airport", another name for VLU is "Аэропорт Великие Луки".
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 126.56 miles (203.68 km) SSE | Smolensk South Airport (LNX) | Smolensk, Russia |     |
| 2 | 127.65 miles (205.43 km) NW | Pskov Airport (PKV) | Pskov, Russia | |
| 3 | 147.78 miles (237.83 km) N | Novgorod Yurievo Airport (NVR) | Veliky Novgorod, Russia | |
| 4 | 154.65 miles (248.88 km) W | Daugavpils International Airport (DGP) | Daugavpils, Latvia | |
| 5 | 168.89 miles (271.81 km) S | Mogilev Airport (MVQ) | Mogilev, Belarus | |
| 6 | 197.67 miles (318.12 km) NW | Tartu Airport (TAY) | Tartu, Estonia | |
| 7 | 198.19 miles (318.96 km) E | Tver Migalovo (KLD) | Tver Oblast, Russia | |
| 8 | 200.42 miles (322.55 km) SSW | Minsk National Airport (MSQ) | Minsk, Belarus | |
| 9 | 212.00 miles (341.18 km) SW | Minsk-1 Airport (MHP) | Minsk, Belarus | |
| 10 | 236.54 miles (380.68 km) N | Pulkovo Airport (LED) | Saint Petersburg, Russia (formerly Leningrad between 1924 and 1991) | |
| 11 | 240.52 miles (387.07 km) WSW | Vilnius International Airport (VNO) | Vilnius, Lithuania | |
| 12 | 248.62 miles (400.12 km) N | Rzhevka Airport (RVH) | Saint Petersburg, Russia | |
| 13 | 254.82 miles (410.08 km) W | Riga International Airport (RIX) | Riga, Latvia | |
| 14 | 258.65 miles (416.25 km) ESE | Grabtsevo Airport (KLF) | Kaluga, Russia | |
| 15 | 260.83 miles (419.77 km) SE | Bryansk International Airport (BZK) | Bryansk, Russia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,971.37 miles (17,656.66 km) ESE | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 10,575.75 miles (17,019.98 km) E | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 10,568.20 miles (17,007.82 km) E | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 10,556.48 miles (16,988.97 km) ESE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 10,550.11 miles (16,978.71 km) ESE | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 10,547.76 miles (16,974.93 km) E | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 10,546.52 miles (16,972.93 km) ESE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 10,544.18 miles (16,969.17 km) E | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 10,537.54 miles (16,958.49 km) ESE | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 10,535.88 miles (16,955.82 km) E | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 10,524.01 miles (16,936.71 km) E | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 10,523.31 miles (16,935.59 km) ESE | Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 10,517.55 miles (16,926.31 km) ESE | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 10,516.64 miles (16,924.84 km) ESE | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 10,513.84 miles (16,920.34 km) ESE | Gisborne Airport (GIS) | Gisborne, New Zealand | |
| 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 | |