Nonstop flight route between Irkutsk, Russia and Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between International Airport Irkutsk (IKT), Irkutsk, Russia and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,873 miles (or 6,233 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 International Airport Irkutsk and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component, 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 International Airport Irkutsk and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component. 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 International Airport Irkutsk (IKT):

• The furthest airport from International Airport Irkutsk (IKT) is Teniente Julio Gallardo Airfield (PNT), which is nearly antipodal to International Airport Irkutsk (meaning International Airport Irkutsk is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Teniente Julio Gallardo Airfield), and is located 12,299 miles (19,794 kilometers) away in Puerto Natales, Chile.
• The closest airport to International Airport Irkutsk (IKT) is Baikal International Airport (UUD), which is located 133 miles (215 kilometers) ESE of IKT.
• Irkutsk airport serves as a diversion airport on transcontinental flights and Polar route 2.
• Airport "Irkutsk" has only one runway with armobetonnym coating having a vertical drop of more than 30 m.
• At air terminals equipped with three stops for complex urban public transport.
• Apart from foggy weather, the airport is notorious for its sloping runway and having many hills in its vicinity.
• International Airport Irkutsk (IKT) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "International Airport Irkutsk", another name for IKT is "Международный Аэропорт Иркутск".

Facts about NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE):

• 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.
• 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 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 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 that time, most of the buildings on base have been renovated to present day standards and several new buildings have been erected.
• 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.
• 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.
• The E-3A Component is NATO's first­ operational flying unit with multinational manning.
• Flying operations at Geilenkirchen ended in January 1968 and the installation was handed over to the German Air Force in March 1968.
• 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.