Nonstop flight route between Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Baidoa, Somalia:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from GKE to BIB:
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- About this route
- GKE Airport Information
- BIB Airport Information
- Facts about GKE
- Facts about BIB
- 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 BIB
- List of Nearest Airports to BIB
- Map of Furthest Airports from BIB
- List of Furthest Airports from BIB
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Baidoa Airport (BIB), Baidoa, Somalia would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,958 miles (or 6,370 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 Baidoa 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 Baidoa 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: | BIB / HCMB |
Airport Name: | Baidoa Airport |
Location: | Baidoa, Somalia |
GPS Coordinates: | 3°5'33"N by 43°37'4"E |
Area Served: | Baidoa |
Elevation: | 1520 feet (463 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from BIB |
More Information: | BIB Maps & Info |
Facts about NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE):
- In January 1980 the first E-3A Component personnel started arriving at the base, and in October 1980 the NATO Defence Planning Committee granted the E-3A Component the status of a NATO International Military Headquarters.
- 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.
- NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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).
- The Component’s multinational, fully integrated workforce consists of more than 3,000 military and civilian personnel from 16 NATO member nations.
- 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.
- 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 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.
Facts about Baidoa Airport (BIB):
- The closest airport to Baidoa Airport (BIB) is Bardera Airport (BSY), which is located 104 miles (168 kilometers) WSW of BIB.
- Baidoa Airport (BIB) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Baidoa Airport (BIB) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is located 11,941 miles (19,218 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.