Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Bitam, Gabon:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(2°4'32"N by 11°29'35"E)
Distance from MER to BMM:
8,337.07 miles (13,417.17 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- BMM Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about BMM
- Map of Nearest Airports to MER
- List of Nearest Airports to MER
- Map of Furthest Airports from MER
- List of Furthest Airports from MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to BMM
- List of Nearest Airports to BMM
- Map of Furthest Airports from BMM
- List of Furthest Airports from BMM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Bitam Airport (BMM), Bitam, Gabon would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,337 miles (or 13,417 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 Castle Airport and Bitam 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 Castle Airport and Bitam Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure 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 |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BMM / FOOB |
| Airport Name: | Bitam Airport |
| Location: | Bitam, Gabon |
| GPS Coordinates: | 2°4'32"N by 11°29'35"E |
| Area Served: | Bitam |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 1969 feet (600 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BMM |
| More Information: | BMM Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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 furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- 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.
Facts about Bitam Airport (BMM):
- The furthest airport from Bitam Airport (BMM) is Canton Island Airport (CIS), which is nearly antipodal to Bitam Airport (meaning Bitam Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Canton Island Airport), and is located 12,211 miles (19,651 kilometers) away in Canton Island, Kiribati.
- The closest airport to Bitam Airport (BMM) is Ebolowa Airport (EBW), which is located 59 miles (96 kilometers) NNW of BMM.
- Bitam Airport (BMM) currently has only 1 runway.
| 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 | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 59.37 miles (95.55 km) NNW | Ebolowa Airport (EBW) | Ebolowa, Cameroon | |
| 2 | 113.87 miles (183.25 km) N | Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport (NSI) | Yaoundé, Cameroon | |
| 3 | 117.13 miles (188.50 km) W | Bata Airport (BSG) | Bata, Equatorial Guinea | |
| 4 | 118.32 miles (190.41 km) WNW | Kribi Airport (KBI) | Kribi, Cameroon | |
| 5 | 121.66 miles (195.79 km) N | Yaoundé Airport (YAO) | Yaoundé, Cameroon | |
| 6 | 141.45 miles (227.64 km) SE | Makokou Airport (MKU) | Makokou, Gabon | |
| 7 | 181.01 miles (291.31 km) NW | Douala International Airport (DLA) | Douala, Cameroon | |
| 8 | 182.06 miles (293.00 km) SW | Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV) | Libreville, Gabon | |
| 9 | 207.39 miles (333.76 km) NW | Limbe Airport (VCC) | Limbe, Cameroon | |
| 10 | 224.47 miles (361.25 km) WNW | Malabo International Airport (SSG) | Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | |
| 11 | 230.09 miles (370.29 km) NE | Bertoua Airport (BTA) | Bertoua, Cameroon | |
| 12 | 234.57 miles (377.50 km) SSE | Koulamoutou Airport (Koula Moutou Airport) (KOU) | Koulamoutou, Gabon | |
| 13 | 251.33 miles (404.48 km) NNW | Foumban Nkounja Airport (FOM) | Foumban, Cameroon | |
| 14 | 251.33 miles (404.48 km) NNW | Foumban Nkounja Airport (KOB) | Koutaba, Cameroon | |
| 15 | 251.70 miles (405.06 km) NNW | Bafoussam Airport (BFX) | Bafoussam, Cameroon | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,210.85 miles (19,651.42 km) ESE | Canton Island Airport (CIS) | Canton Island, Kiribati | |
| 2 | 11,665.67 miles (18,774.02 km) SW | Manihiki Island Airport (MHX) | Manihiki Island, Cook Islands | |
| 3 | 11,616.59 miles (18,695.04 km) WSW | Cassidy International Airport (CXI) | Christmas Island, Kiribati | |
| 4 | 11,598.39 miles (18,665.75 km) SSE | Asau Airport (AAU) | Asau, Samoa | |
| 5 | 11,596.40 miles (18,662.54 km) S | Ofu Airport (OFU) | Ofu, American Samoa | |
| 6 | 11,595.64 miles (18,661.32 km) S | Fitiuta Airport (FTI) | Fiti‘uta, American Samoa, United States | |
| 7 | 11,594.27 miles (18,659.12 km) S | Tau Airport (TAV) | Tau, American Samoa | |
| 8 | 11,593.90 miles (18,658.53 km) SSE | Fagali'i Airport (FGI) | Apia, Samoa | |
| 9 | 11,590.95 miles (18,653.78 km) SSE | Maota (Salelologa) Airport (MXS) | Maota, Samoa | |
| 10 | 11,590.18 miles (18,652.54 km) SSE | Faleolo International Airport (APW) | Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa | |
| 11 | 11,580.40 miles (18,636.80 km) S | Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) | Pago Pago, American Samoa | |
| 12 | 11,501.65 miles (18,510.07 km) SE | Wallis Island (WLS) | Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 13 | 11,481.03 miles (18,476.88 km) ESE | Funafuti International Airport (FUN) | Funafuti, Tuvalu | |
| 14 | 11,421.90 miles (18,381.73 km) E | Arorae Island Airport (AIS) | Arorae Island, Kiribati | |
| 15 | 11,385.67 miles (18,323.41 km) SSE | Mata'aho Airport (NFO) | Niuafo'ou, Tonga | |