Nonstop flight route between Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Wagga Wagga Airport (WGA), Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,240 miles (or 16,479 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 NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component and Wagga Wagga 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 NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component and Wagga Wagga Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE):

• The Component operates seventeen Boeing E-3A AWACS aircraft all of which are based on the Boeing 707 airframe Trainer Cargo Aircraft but which have since been retired).
• NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen is located near Geilenkirchen, Germany.
• Because of NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component's relatively low elevation of 296 feet, planes can take off or land at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component 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.
• Normally, only a certain number of the E-3As and TCAs are present at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen at any given time.
• The fleet of E-3's has remained in operation since the Cold War and has adapted its mission to emerging security threats, primarily in European airspace.
• NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Since that time, most of the buildings on base have been renovated to present day standards and several new buildings have been erected.
• The furthest airport from NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,929 miles (19,198 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• E-3A Component flying operations began in February 1982 after delivery of the first E­3A aircraft.
• The closest airport to NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) is Merzbrück Airfield (AAH), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SSE of GKE.
• Since coming into service in the early 1980s, the aircraft and their onboard systems and associated ground-based equipment have undergone regular upgrading.

Facts about Wagga Wagga Airport (WGA):

• The closest airport to Wagga Wagga Airport (WGA) is Cootamundra Airport (CMD), which is located 49 miles (79 kilometers) NE of WGA.
• On 28 January 1992 the Wagga Wagga City Council secured a 30-year lease from the Commonwealth of Australia which included $2 million to upgrade the airport's runway which can handle a Boeing 737.
• The furthest airport from Wagga Wagga Airport (WGA) is Flores Airport (FLW), which is nearly antipodal to Wagga Wagga Airport (meaning Wagga Wagga Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Flores Airport), and is located 12,130 miles (19,522 kilometers) away in Flores Island, Azores, Portugal.
• In June 2009, Wagga Wagga Airport was listed third for the world's strangest sounding airports.
• Regional Express Engineering heavy maintenance facility is based at Wagga Wagga Airport which provides maintenance for Saab 340 and Fairchild Metro SA-277 aircraft.
• In addition to being known as "Wagga Wagga Airport", another name for WGA is "RAAF Base Wagga".
• Wagga Wagga Airport handled 207,633 passengers last year.
• Wagga Wagga Airport (WGA) has 2 runways.
• In April 2011, a joint tender for security upgrades for baggage and passenger screening was called for Wagga Wagga, Tamworth and Dubbo Airports, which is to be completed by July 2012.
• Because of Wagga Wagga Airport's relatively low elevation of 724 feet, planes can take off or land at Wagga Wagga 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.