Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and West Columbia (near Columbia), South Carolina, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to CAE:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- CAE Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about CAE
- 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 CAE
- List of Nearest Airports to CAE
- Map of Furthest Airports from CAE
- List of Furthest Airports from CAE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), West Columbia (near Columbia), South Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,211 miles (or 3,559 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 Castle Airport and Columbia Metropolitan Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | CAE / KCAE |
Airport Name: | Columbia Metropolitan Airport |
Location: | West Columbia (near Columbia), South Carolina, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°56'20"N by 81°7'9"W |
Area Served: | Columbia, South Carolina |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 236 feet (72 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from CAE |
More Information: | CAE Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (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.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- EPA investigations have been completed at multiple areas of contamination including landfills, discharge areas, chemical disposal areas, fire training areas, fuel spill areas, and polychlorinated biphenyl spill areas.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
Facts about Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE):
- In 1941 the airport came under formal military control and an immediate program began to turn the civil airport into a military airfield.
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport handled 1,027,699 passengers last year.
- The furthest airport from Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,508 miles (18,520 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Because of Columbia Metropolitan Airport's relatively low elevation of 236 feet, planes can take off or land at Columbia Metropolitan 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.
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) has 2 runways.
- Since 2000 the airport has tried to recruit low-cost carriers, but has been unable to maintain those services.
- Police and Fire/Rescue services are provided by the Columbia Metro Airport Department of Public Safety.
- The closest airport to Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) is Jim Hamilton - L.B. Owens Airport (CUB), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) ENE of CAE.