Nonstop flight route between Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada and Atwater, California, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from QBC to MER:
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- About this route
- QBC Airport Information
- MER Airport Information
- Facts about QBC
- Facts about MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to QBC
- List of Nearest Airports to QBC
- Map of Furthest Airports from QBC
- List of Furthest Airports from QBC
- Map of Nearest Airports to MER
- List of Nearest Airports to MER
- Map of Furthest Airports from MER
- List of Furthest Airports from MER
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Bella Coola Airport (QBC), Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,077 miles (or 1,733 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 Bella Coola Airport and Castle Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | QBC / CYBD |
Airport Name: | Bella Coola Airport |
Location: | Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada |
GPS Coordinates: | 52°23'15"N by 126°35'44"W |
Operator/Owner: | Central Coast Regional District |
Airport Type: | Private |
Elevation: | 117 feet (36 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from QBC |
More Information: | QBC Maps & Info |
Arrival 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 |
Facts about Bella Coola Airport (QBC):
- Bella Coola Airport (QBC) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Bella Coola Airport's relatively low elevation of 117 feet, planes can take off or land at Bella Coola 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 closest airport to Bella Coola Airport (QBC) is Ocean Falls Water Aerodrome (ZOF), which is located 47 miles (76 kilometers) W of QBC.
- The furthest airport from Bella Coola Airport (QBC) is East London Airport (ELS), which is located 10,592 miles (17,046 kilometers) away in East London, South Africa.
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.