Nonstop flight route between Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Kowanyama, Queensland, Australia:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from GKE to KWM:
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- About this route
- GKE Airport Information
- KWM Airport Information
- Facts about GKE
- Facts about KWM
- 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 KWM
- List of Nearest Airports to KWM
- Map of Furthest Airports from KWM
- List of Furthest Airports from KWM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Kowanyama Airport (KWM), Kowanyama, Queensland, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,977 miles (or 14,448 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 Kowanyama 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 Kowanyama 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: | KWM / YKOW |
Airport Name: | Kowanyama Airport |
Location: | Kowanyama, Queensland, Australia |
GPS Coordinates: | 15°29'8"S by 141°45'5"E |
Operator/Owner: | Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 35 feet (11 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from KWM |
More Information: | KWM Maps & Info |
Facts about NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE):
- 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.
- Since coming into service in the early 1980s, the aircraft and their onboard systems and associated ground-based equipment have undergone regular upgrading.
- 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 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 directly employs more than 3,000 personnel at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen and therefore has a significant economic impact in the surrounding communities.
- 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.
- Since that time, most of the buildings on base have been renovated to present day standards and several new buildings have been erected.
- NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Kowanyama Airport (KWM):
- The furthest airport from Kowanyama Airport (KWM) is Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE), which is located 11,557 miles (18,598 kilometers) away in São Vicente, Cape Verde.
- The closest airport to Kowanyama Airport (KWM) is Edward River Airport (EDR), which is located 42 miles (67 kilometers) NNW of KWM.
- Kowanyama Airport (KWM) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Kowanyama Airport's relatively low elevation of 35 feet, planes can take off or land at Kowanyama 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.