Nonstop flight route between Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States and Atwater, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Beaufort County Airport (BFT), Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,272 miles (or 3,656 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 relatively short distance between Beaufort County Airport and Castle Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Beaufort County Airport (BFT):

• Because of Beaufort County Airport's relatively low elevation of 9 feet, planes can take off or land at Beaufort County 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.
• Beaufort County Airport covers an area of 110 acres at an elevation of 9 feet above mean sea level.
• In addition to being known as "Beaufort County Airport", another name for BFT is "ARW".
• Beaufort County Airport (BFT) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Beaufort County Airport (BFT) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,522 miles (18,542 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Beaufort County Airport (BFT) is Hilton Head Airport (HHH), which is located only 13 miles (22 kilometers) SSW of BFT.

Facts about Castle Airport (MER):

• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• 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.
• 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.
• Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
• 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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.