Nonstop flight route between Blythe, California, United States and Atwater, California, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from BLH to MER:
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- About this route
- BLH Airport Information
- MER Airport Information
- Facts about BLH
- Facts about MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to BLH
- List of Nearest Airports to BLH
- Map of Furthest Airports from BLH
- List of Furthest Airports from BLH
- 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 Blythe Airport (BLH), Blythe, California, United States and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 420 miles (or 675 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 Blythe Airport and Castle Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BLH / KBLH |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Blythe, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°36'52"N by 114°42'47"W |
Area Served: | Blythe, California |
Operator/Owner: | County of Riverside |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 399 feet (122 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from BLH |
More Information: | BLH 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 Blythe Airport (BLH):
- Blythe Airport was established by the Civil Aeronautics Administration in the late 1930s as an emergency landing field on the Los Angeles to Phoenix airway.
- In addition to the main facility at Blythe, several auxiliary airfields were built.
- At its peak in December, 1943 the base had a population just short of 8000 uniformed and civilian personnel.
- The furthest airport from Blythe Airport (BLH) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,472 miles (18,462 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- The closest airport to Blythe Airport (BLH) is Laguna Army Airfield (LGF), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) SSE of BLH.
- In addition to being known as "Blythe Airport", another name for BLH is "(former Blythe Army Air Field)".
- The airfield was declared surplus in 1946 and was reported to the General Service Administration for disposal.
- Because of Blythe Airport's relatively low elevation of 399 feet, planes can take off or land at Blythe 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.
- Blythe Airport (BLH) has 2 runways.
Facts about Castle Airport (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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
- Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.