Nonstop flight route between Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM), Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,190 miles (or 6,743 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 Fort McMurray International 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 Fort McMurray International 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):

• NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Since that time, most of the buildings on base have been renovated to present day standards and several new buildings have been erected.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• 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.
• The E-3A Component is NATO's first­ operational flying unit with multinational manning.

Facts about Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM):

• Fort McMurray International Airport is located 7 nautical miles southeast of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada.
• The furthest airport from Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 9,996 miles (16,087 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Bus service operates between the airport and downtown Fort McMurray via the Route 11 Airport Shuttle bus.
• Fort McMurray International Airport handled 1,195,378 passengers last year.
• The new Fort McMurray International Airport will feature 16 food and beverage and retail outlets including some of the first ever in-airport locations for Earl's, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria.
• The closest airport to Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) is Buffalo Narrows Airport (YVT), which is located 121 miles (195 kilometers) ESE of YMM.
• Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) currently has only 1 runway.