Nonstop flight route between Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Stockton, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK), Stockton, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,518 miles (or 8,880 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 Stockton Metropolitan 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 Stockton Metropolitan 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 E-3A Component is NATO's first­ operational flying unit with multinational manning.
• Major construction on the base initially included a new 3,000-metre runway with a width of 45 metres, as well as aprons and taxiways, a control tower, an Information Technology Wing building, on-base accommodation and major renovation of the four existing hangars.
• Since coming into service in the early 1980s, the aircraft and their onboard systems and associated ground-based equipment have undergone regular upgrading.
• Following NATO’s decision to establish the NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force program and to make the base near Teveren the Main Operating Base of the E­3A Component, a major construction program was started in 1980 to modify the operational and support facilities.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK):

• In the last months of 1965, support to Army Aviation expanded again as a result of the U.S.
• In addition to being known as "Stockton Metropolitan Airport", other names for SCK include "(former Stockton Army Airfield)" and "(former Sharpe Army Depot)".
• United Airlines served Stockton from 1946 until 1980.
• In October 1946 Stockton AAF was declared surplus.
• The closest airport to Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) is Modesto City-County Airport (MOD), which is located 24 miles (39 kilometers) SE of SCK.
• Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex was vacated in 1973, ending the U.S.
• Because of Stockton Metropolitan Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at Stockton Metropolitan 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.
• Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,311 miles (18,203 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• On March 2, 1945 the final class completed training and Stockton AAF was transferred from the control of the Western Flying Training Command to the Air Transport Command.
• On November 18, 2012 Allegiant Air began flying twice weekly Boeing 757-200 nonstops from Stockton to Honolulu.