MERmedium airport

Castle Airport

Merced, United States

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ICAO

KMER

Elevation

191 ft

The gateway in a glance

The Essence of Castle Airport

MER

Location

Merced · CA · United States

Position

37.381°, -120.568° · 191 ft elev.

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TravelerPulse profile

Former Strategic Air Command base turned public airport.

Opened

1941

Location

Merced, United States

Castle Airport is a public airport located in Atwater, near Merced, in California's Central Valley. It occupies the former Castle Air Force Base, which was a major United States Air Force Strategic Air Command installation that closed in 1995 under the Base Realignment and Closure process. The airport is owned and operated by the Merced County Department of Public Works. It serves general aviation, cargo, and limited commercial operations. The site also hosts the Castle Air Museum, which displays a large collection of historic military aircraft on the former base grounds.

Terminals

The airport has minimal commercial passenger terminal infrastructure, primarily serving general aviation and cargo users.

Getting to & from

Ground access to the airport is primarily by private vehicle or taxi, with the facility located off Highway 99 near Atwater.

Airlines here

There are no major scheduled commercial passenger airlines currently operating regular service at Castle Airport.

Notable facts

›Originally built as Castle Army Airfield in 1941 and later became Castle Air Force Base.
›Served as a primary B-52 bomber training base during the Cold War era.
›Closed as a military installation in 1995 following BRAC recommendations.
›Home to the Castle Air Museum, featuring over 70 historic military aircraft.
›The airport covers approximately 3,100 acres of the former Air Force base.

Official website Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.

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Encyclopaedia

Castle Airport is a public airport in unincorporated Merced County, California, 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Merced. The airport is operated by the Merced County Department of Commerce, Aviation, and Economic Development. It is owned jointly by the city of Merced, the city of Atwater, and Merced County. The airport was formerly designated as Castle Air Force Base (1941–1995), a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base which was closed after the end of the Cold War in 1995.

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