Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Spangdahlem, Germany:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(49°58'32"N by 6°41'49"E)
Distance from MER to SPM:
5,600.41 miles (9,012.96 km)
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- SPM Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about SPM
- 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 SPM
- List of Nearest Airports to SPM
- Map of Furthest Airports from SPM
- List of Furthest Airports from SPM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM), Spangdahlem, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,600 miles (or 9,013 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 Spangdahlem Air Base, 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 Spangdahlem Air Base. 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: | SPM / ETAD |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Spangdahlem, Germany |
| GPS Coordinates: | 49°58'32"N by 6°41'49"E |
| Operator/Owner: | United States of America |
| View all routes: | Routes from SPM |
| More Information: | SPM Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- 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 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.
- 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 Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM):
- The furthest airport from Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,986 miles (19,289 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- Spangdahlem Air Base has been a military presence in Germany for over five decades.
- The closest airport to Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM) is Bitburg Airport (BBJ), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) WSW of SPM.
- On 1 January 1969, the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, located at nearby Bitburg Air Base, assumed operational control of Spangdahlem, becoming a dual-based wing.
- In addition to being known as "Spangdahlem Air Base", another name for SPM is "Spangdahlem AB".
- In November 2005, the first C-17 Globemaster III aircraft arrived at Spangdahlem.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.26 miles (11.68 km) SSE | Merced Regional Airport (MCE) | Merced, California, United States |     |
| 2 | 27.12 miles (43.65 km) NW | Modesto City-County Airport (MOD) | Modesto, California, United States | |
| 3 | 27.51 miles (44.27 km) SW | Los Banos Municipal Airport (LSN) | Los Banos, California, United States | |
| 4 | 29.78 miles (47.92 km) W | NASA Crows Landing Airport (NRC) | Crows Landing, California, United States | |
| 5 | 36.91 miles (59.40 km) SE | Madera Municipal Airport (MAE) | Madera, California, United States | |
| 6 | 45.69 miles (73.53 km) N | Columbia Airport (COA) | Columbia, California, United States | |
| 7 | 51.03 miles (82.13 km) NW | Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) | Stockton, California, United States | |
| 8 | 57.32 miles (92.24 km) SW | Hollister Municipal Airport (HLI) | Hollister, California, United States | |
| 9 | 60.88 miles (97.98 km) SE | Fresno Chandler Executive AirportChandler Municipal Airport (Old) (FCH) | Fresno, California, United States | |
| 10 | 62.71 miles (100.91 km) SE | Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) | Fresno, California, United States | |
| 11 | 68.82 miles (110.76 km) W | Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV) | San Jose, California, United States | |
| 12 | 71.93 miles (115.77 km) WNW | Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) | Livermore, California, United States | |
| 13 | 73.96 miles (119.02 km) WSW | Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI) | Watsonville, California, United States | |
| 14 | 74.75 miles (120.29 km) W | Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) | San Jose, California, United States | |
| 15 | 75.76 miles (121.93 km) SW | Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) | Salinas, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,311.72 miles (18,204.41 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 2 | 11,301.64 miles (18,188.18 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 3 | 11,273.49 miles (18,142.87 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 4 | 11,260.93 miles (18,122.66 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 5 | 11,205.02 miles (18,032.69 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 11,196.39 miles (18,018.79 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 7 | 11,137.28 miles (17,923.67 km) SSE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,111.96 miles (17,882.92 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,011.03 miles (17,720.49 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,008.37 miles (17,716.22 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 10,993.21 miles (17,691.82 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 10,972.89 miles (17,659.11 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 10,963.56 miles (17,644.10 km) SSE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,945.21 miles (17,614.56 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 10,920.84 miles (17,575.35 km) SE | Belo sur Tsiribihina Airport (BMD) | Belo sur Tsiribihina, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 6.24 miles (10.05 km) WSW | Bitburg Airport (BBJ) | Bitburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany | |
| 2 | 25.27 miles (40.67 km) E | Frankfurt–Hahn Airport (HHN) | Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany | |
| 3 | 32.80 miles (52.79 km) SW | Luxembourg Airport (LUX) | Luxembourg-Findel, Luxembourg | |
| 4 | 54.64 miles (87.94 km) SE | Ramstein Air Base (RMS) | Ramstein, Germany | |
| 5 | 55.75 miles (89.72 km) SSE | Saarbrücken Airport (SCN) | Saarbrücken, Germany | |
| 6 | 60.64 miles (97.59 km) ESE | Sembach KaserneSembach Air Base (SEX) | Sembach, Germany | |
| 7 | 61.61 miles (99.16 km) SSE | Zweibrücken Airport (ZQW) | Zweibrücken, Germany | |
| 8 | 62.73 miles (100.95 km) NNW | Merzbrück Airfield (AAH) | Aachen, Germany | |
| 9 | 64.40 miles (103.64 km) E | Mainz Finthen Airport (QMZ) | Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany | |
| 10 | 64.55 miles (103.88 km) NNE | Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN) | Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | |
| 11 | 71.77 miles (115.51 km) NW | Liège Airport (LGG) | Liège, Wallonia, Belgium | |
| 12 | 71.83 miles (115.59 km) SSW | Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport (ETZ) | Lorraine, France | |
| 13 | 72.43 miles (116.56 km) E | Lucius D. Clay KaserneWiesbaden Army AirfieldWiesbaden Air BaseAdvanced Landing Ground Y-80Fliegerhorst Wiesbaden (WIE) | Wiesbaden, Hessen, Germany | |
| 14 | 73.90 miles (118.92 km) NNW | NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) | Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | |
| 15 | 76.53 miles (123.17 km) NNW | Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) | Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,985.60 miles (19,288.91 km) SSE | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,632.12 miles (18,720.03 km) ESE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,631.72 miles (18,719.39 km) ESE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,625.76 miles (18,709.80 km) ESE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,623.76 miles (18,706.58 km) SE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,620.34 miles (18,701.07 km) ESE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,617.52 miles (18,696.55 km) SE | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,612.95 miles (18,689.18 km) ESE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,609.90 miles (18,684.28 km) SE | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,593.20 miles (18,657.40 km) SE | Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,588.13 miles (18,649.24 km) SE | Woodbourne Airport (BHE) | Blenheim, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,580.45 miles (18,636.88 km) SE | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,567.60 miles (18,616.20 km) ESE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,566.80 miles (18,614.92 km) SE | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,560.82 miles (18,605.29 km) E | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |