Nonstop flight route between Zamboanga City, Philippines and Atwater, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Zamboanga International Airport (ZAM), Zamboanga City, Philippines and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,381 miles (or 11,879 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 Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga International Airport (ZAM):

• The closest airport to Zamboanga International Airport (ZAM) is Ipil Airport (IPE), which is located 70 miles (113 kilometers) NNE of ZAM.
• Zamboanga International Airport handled 904,668 passengers last year.
• Zamboanga International Airport (ZAM) currently has only 1 runway.
• There were plans to transfer the airport to a 104-hectare lot located between Barangays Talabaan and Taluksangay, possibly making it the largest airport in Mindanao.
• The airport has one terminal and a 30,000 square-meter apron.
• The furthest airport from Zamboanga International Airport (ZAM) is Itaituba Airport (ITB), which is nearly antipodal to Zamboanga International Airport (meaning Zamboanga International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Itaituba Airport), and is located 12,209 miles (19,648 kilometers) away in Itaituba, Pará, Brazil.
• The airport is officially classified as an international airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, despite only offering scheduled domestic passenger services.
• In addition to being known as "Zamboanga International Airport", another name for ZAM is "Paliparang Pandaigdig ng ZamboangaAeropuerto Internacional de Zamboanga".
• Because of Zamboanga International Airport's relatively low elevation of 20 feet, planes can take off or land at Zamboanga 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.
• Earlier, a consortium of international and local investors, offered to construct a modern airport in the city under a build-operate-transfer scheme.

Facts about Castle Airport (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.
• 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.
• Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• 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.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.