Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Kearney, Nebraska, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to EAR:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- EAR Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about EAR
- 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 EAR
- List of Nearest Airports to EAR
- Map of Furthest Airports from EAR
- List of Furthest Airports from EAR
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Kearney Regional Airport (EAR), Kearney, Nebraska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,177 miles (or 1,894 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 Kearney Regional 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: | EAR / KEAR |
Airport Name: | Kearney Regional Airport |
Location: | Kearney, Nebraska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 40°43'36"N by 99°0'24"W |
Area Served: | Kearney, Nebraska |
Operator/Owner: | City of Kearney |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 2131 feet (650 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from EAR |
More Information: | EAR 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 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.
- 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.
- With its central location in the San Joaquin Valley, on the route of the proposed California High-Speed Rail system, and with a large, underdeveloped site, Castle Airport has been submitted as a possible location for the central maintenance facility for the system.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Kearney Regional Airport (EAR):
- The closest airport to Kearney Regional Airport (EAR) is Hastings Municipal Airport (HSI), which is located 31 miles (51 kilometers) ESE of EAR.
- The first airline flights were Mid-West Cessna 190s in 1950-52, then Frontier DC-3s appeared in 1959.
- The furthest airport from Kearney Regional Airport (EAR) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,654 miles (17,145 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- Kearney Regional Airport (EAR) has 2 runways.
- Kearney Regional Airport is in Buffalo County, Nebraska, five miles northeast of Kearney, which owns it.
- In 1940 Kearney had a population of 9,643.