Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Portland, Maine, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to PWM:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- PWM Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about PWM
- 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 PWM
- List of Nearest Airports to PWM
- Map of Furthest Airports from PWM
- List of Furthest Airports from PWM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Portland International Jetport (PWM), Portland, Maine, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,634 miles (or 4,240 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 Portland International Jetport, 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 Portland International Jetport. 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: | PWM / KPWM |
Airport Name: | Portland International Jetport |
Location: | Portland, Maine, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 43°38'45"N by 70°18'33"W |
Area Served: | Portland, Maine |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 76 feet (23 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from PWM |
More Information: | PWM Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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.
Facts about Portland International Jetport (PWM):
- Portland International Jetport (PWM) has 2 runways.
- Some service began to return as the industry's economics improved in 2005 and 2006.
- In June 1983 United Airlines arrived in Portland, planning to be the only airline to serve 50 states.
- Because of Portland International Jetport's relatively low elevation of 76 feet, planes can take off or land at Portland International Jetport 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.
- Jet flights began in 1968, and for the first time Portland got a nonstop beyond Boston when Northeast DC-9s flew to La Guardia.
- The closest airport to Portland International Jetport (PWM) is Naval Air Station Brunswick (NHZ), which is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) NE of PWM.
- The furthest airport from Portland International Jetport (PWM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,705 miles (18,838 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- In the wake of the September 11 attacks many U.S.
- In 1980 the passenger terminal expanded to the east with the addition of two baggage carousels.
- Peoplexpress Airlines arrived in 1983, the first jet competitor to Northeast/Delta at PWM.