Nonstop flight route between Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Eagle, Colorado (near Vail), United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE), Eagle, Colorado (near Vail), United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,986 miles (or 8,024 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 Eagle County Regional 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 Eagle County Regional 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 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 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 E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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 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 E-3A Component is NATO's first­ operational flying unit with multinational manning.
• 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.
• Flying operations at Geilenkirchen ended in January 1968 and the installation was handed over to the German Air Force in March 1968.

Facts about Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE):

• The Eagle County Sheriff provides airport security response.
• The closest airport to Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is Aspen–Pitkin County Airport (ASE), which is located 29 miles (47 kilometers) S of EGE.
• Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Eagle County Regional Airport's high elevation of 6,547 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at EGE. Combined with a high temperature, this could make EGE a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The furthest airport from Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,946 miles (17,617 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Eagle County Regional Airport handled 218,105 passengers last year.
• In the winter, American, Delta, and United Airlines provide non-stop jet service between EGE and nine U.S.