# Castle Airport (MER)

> Merced, US · IATA: MER · ICAO: KMER · Medium Airport

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA | `MER` |
| ICAO | `KMER` |
| City | Merced |
| Country | US |
| Type | Medium Airport |
| Elevation | 58 m |
| Cargo | ❌ |
| GPS | 37.38050, -120.56800 |

## Description

A runway built for nuclear bombers still defines Castle Airport (IATA: MER, ICAO: KMER) near Atwater, where the Strategic Air Command trained B-52 crews until the base closed in 1995. Now a general-aviation field, it anchors the 1,912-acre Castle Commerce Center and its 60-plus tenants. A 2025 KPMG feasibility study judged the cargo outlook weak, suggesting at most a tertiary supporting role, with a rail link to the transload area targeted around 2028. No air freight is handled today; Central Valley shippers route through Fresno, Sacramento or the Bay Area. The Castle Air Museum keeps the Cold War on display at the field's edge, SR-71 Blackbird included.

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*Freight Academy — Airport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/castle-airport-mer](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/castle-airport-mer)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/castle-airport-mer](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/castle-airport-mer)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/airports/castle-airport-mer/llm-summary*