Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Blida, Algeria:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to QLD:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- QLD Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about QLD
- 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 QLD
- List of Nearest Airports to QLD
- Map of Furthest Airports from QLD
- List of Furthest Airports from QLD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Blida Airport (QLD), Blida, Algeria would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,180 miles (or 9,946 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 Blida 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 Blida 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: | QLD / DAAB |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Blida, Algeria |
GPS Coordinates: | 36°30'13"N by 2°48'52"E |
Area Served: | Blida |
Airport Type: | Military |
Elevation: | 535 feet (163 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from QLD |
More Information: | QLD Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- 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.
Facts about Blida Airport (QLD):
- In addition to being known as "Blida Airport", another name for QLD is "Blida Airport (Blida)".
- Because of Blida Airport's relatively low elevation of 535 feet, planes can take off or land at Blida 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.
- Blida Airport (QLD) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Blida Airport (QLD) is Gisborne Airport (GIS), which is nearly antipodal to Blida Airport (meaning Blida Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Gisborne Airport), and is located 12,133 miles (19,526 kilometers) away in Gisborne, New Zealand.
- The closest airport to Blida Airport (QLD) is Boufarik Air Base (QFD), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) NE of QLD.