Nonstop flight route between Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Douglas, Arizona, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL), Douglas, Arizona, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,534 miles (or 8,906 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 Douglas Municipal 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 Douglas Municipal 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):

• 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.
• E-3A Component flying operations began in February 1982 after delivery of the first E­3A aircraft.
• NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen is located near Geilenkirchen, Germany.
• 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.
• 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.
• NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• Since coming into service in the early 1980s, the aircraft and their onboard systems and associated ground-based equipment have undergone regular upgrading.
• 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.

Facts about Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL):

• The closest airport to Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL) is Bisbee Douglas International Airport (DUG), which is located only 10 miles (17 kilometers) NNW of DGL.
• The furthest airport from Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,522 miles (18,542 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Chemical warfare training also occurred at Douglas Air Field.
• In addition to being known as "Douglas Municipal Airport", another name for DGL is "Douglas Army Airfield".
• Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL) has 2 runways.
• Known as Douglas Army Airfield, the base included six operational runways, all over 7,000' in length.
• Because of Douglas Municipal Airport's high elevation of 4,173 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at DGL. Combined with a high temperature, this could make DGL a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Over recent years, there has been relatively little development activity at the Bisbee-Douglas International Airport.
• Arizona State Prison at nearby Bisbee-Douglas International Airport.