Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to CMI:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- CMI Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about CMI
- 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 CMI
- List of Nearest Airports to CMI
- Map of Furthest Airports from CMI
- List of Furthest Airports from CMI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI), Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,741 miles (or 2,802 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 University of Illinois Willard 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: | CMI / KCMI |
Airport Name: | University of Illinois Willard Airport |
Location: | Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 40°2'21"N by 88°16'41"W |
Area Served: | Champaign-Urbana, Illinois |
Operator/Owner: | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 754 feet (230 meters) |
# of Runways: | 4 |
View all routes: | Routes from CMI |
More Information: | CMI 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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- The EPA currently has this base listed on their database due to the bulk wastes such as solvents, oils, fuels, and sludges which were disposed in pits at landfills around the base until 1977.
- 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.
Facts about University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI):
- The furthest airport from University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,084 miles (17,838 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The airport was dedicated on 26 October 1945.
- American Eagle has one daily flight to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on 50-seat ERJs, and six daily ERJ flights to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
- University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) has 4 runways.
- The closest airport to University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) is Decatur Airport (DEC), which is located 34 miles (55 kilometers) WSW of CMI.
- Because of University of Illinois Willard Airport's relatively low elevation of 754 feet, planes can take off or land at University of Illinois Willard 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.