Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Bonanza, RAAN, Nicaragua:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(14°2'30"N by 84°37'50"W)
Distance from MER to BZA:
2,730.29 miles (4,393.97 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- BZA Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about BZA
- 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 BZA
- List of Nearest Airports to BZA
- Map of Furthest Airports from BZA
- List of Furthest Airports from BZA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Bonanza Airport (BZA), Bonanza, RAAN, Nicaragua would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,730 miles (or 4,394 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 Bonanza 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 Bonanza 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: | BZA / MNBZ |
| Airport Name: | Bonanza Airport |
| Location: | Bonanza, RAAN, Nicaragua |
| GPS Coordinates: | 14°2'30"N by 84°37'50"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Republica de Nicaragua |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 597 feet (182 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BZA |
| More Information: | BZA Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of 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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- 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.
Facts about Bonanza Airport (BZA):
- The closest airport to Bonanza Airport (BZA) is Siuna Airport (SIU), which is located 25 miles (39 kilometers) SSW of BZA.
- Bonanza Airport (BZA) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Bonanza Airport's relatively low elevation of 597 feet, planes can take off or land at Bonanza 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 Bonanza Airport (BZA) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Bonanza Airport (meaning Bonanza Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,275 miles (19,755 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, 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 | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 24.51 miles (39.44 km) SSW | Siuna Airport (SIU) | Siuna, Nicaragua | |
| 2 | 65.06 miles (104.71 km) NE | Waspam Airport (WSP) | Waspam, Nicaragua | |
| 3 | 83.38 miles (134.18 km) E | Puerto Cabezas Airport (PUZ) | Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua | |
| 4 | 152.98 miles (246.19 km) SSE | Bluefields Airport (BEF) | Bluefields, Nicaragua | |
| 5 | 166.91 miles (268.62 km) SE | Corn Island International Airport (RNI) | Corn Island, Nicaragua | |
| 6 | 167.16 miles (269.02 km) SW | Augusto César Sandino International Airport (MGA) | Managua, Nicaragua | |
| 7 | 173.36 miles (278.99 km) W | Toncontín International Airport (TGU) | Tegucigalpa, Honduras | |
| 8 | 186.59 miles (300.29 km) NNW | Guanaja Airport (GJA) | Guanaja, Bay Islands, Honduras | |
| 9 | 189.26 miles (304.58 km) NW | Golosón International Airport (LCE) | La Ceiba, Honduras | |
| 10 | 201.57 miles (324.39 km) NW | Roatan International Airport – Bay Islands (RTB) | Roatán, Honduras | |
| 11 | 201.68 miles (324.57 km) W | Soto Cano Air Base (XPL) | Comayagua, Honduras | |
| 12 | 220.63 miles (355.07 km) ESE | Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport (ADZ) | San Andres Island, Colombia | |
| 13 | 224.69 miles (361.60 km) ESE | El Embrujo Airport (PVA) | Providencia Island, Colombia | |
| 14 | 228.13 miles (367.14 km) W | Marcala Airport (MRJ) | Marcala, Honduras | |
| 15 | 237.04 miles (381.48 km) SSE | Barra del Colorado Airport (BCL) | Barra del Colorado, Costa Rica | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,275.37 miles (19,755.25 km) SW | Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK) | Cocos Islands, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,697.23 miles (18,824.82 km) WSW | Christmas Island Airport (XCH) | Christmas Island, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,588.16 miles (18,649.29 km) SW | Fatmawati Soekarno Airport (BKS) | Bengkulu, Indonesia | |
| 4 | 11,560.23 miles (18,604.35 km) SSW | Rokot Airport (RKI) | Sipura, Indonesia | |
| 5 | 11,533.96 miles (18,562.06 km) SW | Radin Inten II Airport (RIA II) (TKG) | Bandar Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 6 | 11,512.20 miles (18,527.05 km) SSW | Depati Parbo Airport (KRC) | Kerinci, Indonesia | |
| 7 | 11,501.27 miles (18,509.46 km) SW | Gunung Batin Airport (AKQ) | Astraksetra, Indonesia | |
| 8 | 11,494.71 miles (18,498.89 km) SW | Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |
| 9 | 11,487.30 miles (18,486.98 km) WSW | Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (HLP) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |
| 10 | 11,472.31 miles (18,462.85 km) WSW | Husein Sastranegara International Airport (HSA) (BDO) | Bandung, Indonesia | |
| 11 | 11,461.38 miles (18,445.26 km) SSW | Minangkabau International Airport (MIA) (PDG) | Ketaping, West Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 12 | 11,448.26 miles (18,424.15 km) WSW | Cibeureum Airfield (TSY) | Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia | |
| 13 | 11,437.90 miles (18,407.48 km) SW | Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport (SMB II) (PLM) | Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 14 | 11,410.56 miles (18,363.47 km) WSW | Penggung Airport/Chakrabhuwana Airport (CBN) | Cirebon, Java, Indonesia | |
| 15 | 11,410.18 miles (18,362.87 km) SW | Sultan Thaha Airport (DJB) | Jambi, Indonesia | |