Nonstop flight route between Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States and Atwater, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(35°20'12"N by 94°22'3"W)
Arrival Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Distance from FSM to MER:
1,459.98 miles (2,349.61 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- FSM Airport Information
- MER Airport Information
- Facts about FSM
- Facts about MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to FSM
- List of Nearest Airports to FSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from FSM
- List of Furthest Airports from FSM
- 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 Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM), Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,460 miles (or 2,350 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 Fort Smith Regional 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: | FSM / KFSM |
| Airport Name: | Fort Smith Regional Airport |
| Location: | Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 35°20'12"N by 94°22'3"W |
| Area Served: | Fort Smith, Arkansas |
| Operator/Owner: | Fort Smith Airport Commission |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 469 feet (143 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from FSM |
| More Information: | FSM 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 Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM):
- Because of Fort Smith Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 469 feet, planes can take off or land at Fort Smith Regional 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.
- Air Traffic services are provided by the Federal Aviation Administration from an Air Traffic Control Tower and TRACON.
- The closest airport to Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM) is Robert S. Kerr Airport (RKR), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) SSW of FSM.
- Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,765 miles (17,324 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of 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.
- 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.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 26.05 miles (41.93 km) SSW | Robert S. Kerr Airport (RKR) | Poteau, Oklahoma, United States |     |
| 2 | 47.49 miles (76.43 km) NNE | Drake Field (FYV) | Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States | |
| 3 | 59.49 miles (95.74 km) N | Smith Field (SLG) | Siloam Springs, Arkansas, United States | |
| 4 | 59.67 miles (96.02 km) NNE | Springdale Municipal Airport (SPZ) | Springdale, Arkansas, United States | |
| 5 | 60.16 miles (96.82 km) WNW | Davis Field (MKO) | Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States | |
| 6 | 65.21 miles (104.95 km) WNW | Hatbox FieldHatbox Army Airfield (HAX) | Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States | |
| 7 | 65.38 miles (105.22 km) N | Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) | Fayetteville/Springdale, Arkansas, United States | |
| 8 | 73.04 miles (117.55 km) NNE | Rogers Municipal Airport (ROG) | Rogers, Arkansas, United States | |
| 9 | 83.42 miles (134.26 km) E | Petit Jean Park Airport (MPJ) | Morrilton, Arkansas, United States | |
| 10 | 85.96 miles (138.33 km) WSW | McAlester Regional Airport (MLC) | McAlester, Oklahoma, United States | |
| 11 | 91.83 miles (147.79 km) WNW | Okmulgee Regional Airport (OKM) | Okmulgee, Oklahoma, United States | |
| 12 | 93.28 miles (150.12 km) NE | Boone County Airport (HRO) | Harrison, Arkansas, United States | |
| 13 | 93.32 miles (150.18 km) SE | Memorial Field Airport (HOT) | Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States | |
| 14 | 101.86 miles (163.93 km) N | Neosho Hugh Robinson Airport (EOS) | Neosho, Missouri, United States | |
| 15 | 102.94 miles (165.66 km) WNW | Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport (RVS) | Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,764.90 miles (17,324.38 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 10,744.54 miles (17,291.62 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 10,724.31 miles (17,259.06 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 10,711.19 miles (17,237.94 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,708.39 miles (17,233.43 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,706.44 miles (17,230.30 km) ESE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 7 | 10,700.08 miles (17,220.06 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,690.86 miles (17,205.23 km) SSW | Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK) | Cocos Islands, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,690.86 miles (17,205.22 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,683.05 miles (17,192.66 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,682.46 miles (17,191.72 km) W | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,676.97 miles (17,182.88 km) W | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,659.32 miles (17,154.48 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,628.54 miles (17,104.94 km) W | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,626.68 miles (17,101.94 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 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 | |