Nonstop flight route between Barstow, California, United States and Atwater, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Bicycle Lake Army Airfield (BYS), Barstow, California, United States and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 263 miles (or 423 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 Bicycle Lake Army Airfield 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 Bicycle Lake Army Airfield (BYS):

• Bicycle Lake Army Airfield (BYS) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Bicycle Lake Army Airfield (BYS) is Barstow-Daggett Airport (DAG), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) SSW of BYS.
• The furthest airport from Bicycle Lake Army Airfield (BYS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,364 miles (18,289 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Castle Airport (MER):

• Since the mid-1940s, aircraft maintenance, fuel management, and fire training activities on the base have generated wastes that consist primarily of waste fuels, oils, solvents, and cleaners.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• Castle Airport is a public use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Merced, a city in Merced County, California, United States.
• 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.
• 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.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.