Nonstop flight route between Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from GKE to AAZ:
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- About this route
- GKE Airport Information
- AAZ Airport Information
- Facts about GKE
- Facts about AAZ
- Map of Nearest Airports to GKE
- List of Nearest Airports to GKE
- Map of Furthest Airports from GKE
- List of Furthest Airports from GKE
- Map of Nearest Airports to AAZ
- List of Nearest Airports to AAZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from AAZ
- List of Furthest Airports from AAZ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ), Quetzaltenango, Guatemala would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,745 miles (or 9,245 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 Quetzaltenango 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 Quetzaltenango Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | GKE / ETNG |
Airport Name: | NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component |
Location: | Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
GPS Coordinates: | 50°57'38"N by 6°2'33"E |
Operator/Owner: | NATO |
Airport Type: | Military |
Elevation: | 296 feet (90 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from GKE |
More Information: | GKE Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | AAZ / MGQZ |
Airport Name: | Quetzaltenango Airport |
Location: | Quetzaltenango, Guatemala |
GPS Coordinates: | 14°51'56"N by 91°30'6"W |
Operator/Owner: | Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil |
Airport Type: | Joint |
Elevation: | 7779 feet (2,371 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from AAZ |
More Information: | AAZ Maps & Info |
Facts about NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE):
- 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.
- The E-3A Component is NATO's first operational flying unit with multinational manning.
- Surrounded by farmland and a natural woodland reserve, the base was originally built by the Royal Air Force after World War II and operated as RAF Geilenkirchen from 1953 onwards.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Component’s multinational, fully integrated workforce consists of more than 3,000 military and civilian personnel from 16 NATO member nations.
- NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.
- The E-3A Component directly employs more than 3,000 personnel at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen and therefore has a significant economic impact in the surrounding communities.
- Since that time, most of the buildings on base have been renovated to present day standards and several new buildings have been erected.
Facts about Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ):
- The furthest airport from Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,847 miles (19,066 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- The airport is currently undergoing massive construction works, as part of a nationwide airport rehabilitation program.
- Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Quetzaltenango Airport's high elevation of 7,779 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at AAZ. Combined with a high temperature, this could make AAZ a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- On 1 November 1998 a Douglas DC-3 carrying 18 crew and passengers crashed near the airport into mountainous terrain.
- On May 12, 2003 After the first flight that lasted 30 minutes, followed by further testing done only to a volunteer who offered to accompany him, now see it is regular with his son and friends who ask you to take them to feel Quetzaltenango the excitement of seeing a plane built in this city.
- The closest airport to Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ) is Quiché Airport (AQB), which is located 26 miles (41 kilometers) ENE of AAZ.