Nonstop flight route between Manta, Manabí, Ecuador and Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from MEC to GKE:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- MEC Airport Information
- GKE Airport Information
- Facts about MEC
- Facts about GKE
- Map of Nearest Airports to MEC
- List of Nearest Airports to MEC
- Map of Furthest Airports from MEC
- List of Furthest Airports from MEC
- Map of Nearest Airports to GKE
- List of Nearest Airports to GKE
- Map of Furthest Airports from GKE
- List of Furthest Airports from GKE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC), Manta, Manabí, Ecuador and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,127 miles (or 9,860 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 Eloy Alfaro International Airport 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 Eloy Alfaro International Airport 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:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MEC / SEMT |
| Airport Name: | Eloy Alfaro International Airport |
| Location: | Manta, Manabí, Ecuador |
| GPS Coordinates: | 0°56'44"S by 80°40'42"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Military of Ecuador |
| Airport Type: | Public / Military |
| Elevation: | 48 feet (15 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MEC |
| More Information: | MEC Maps & Info |
Arrival 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 |
Facts about Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC):
- Until July 2009 a portion of the airport was used by the Air Forces Southern Air Force component of the United States Southern Command for operations against illegal cocaine trafficking in northwestern South America.
- The closest airport to Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) is Reales Tamarindos Airport (PVO), which is located only 16 miles (25 kilometers) ESE of MEC.
- The furthest airport from Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) is Aek Godang Airport (AEG), which is nearly antipodal to Eloy Alfaro International Airport (meaning Eloy Alfaro International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aek Godang Airport), and is located 12,405 miles (19,963 kilometers) away in Padang Sidempuan, Indonesia.
- Admiral James Stavridis, chief of the U.S.
- Since prior to his election, President Rafael Correa has stated that he would not renew the agreement that allowed the United States access to the base when it expires in November 2009, and commented that "We can negotiate with the U.S.
- On April 14, 2009 U.S.
- Because of Eloy Alfaro International Airport's relatively low elevation of 48 feet, planes can take off or land at Eloy Alfaro International 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.
- Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE):
- 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.
- Since that time, most of the buildings on base have been renovated to present day standards and several new buildings have been erected.
- 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 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).
- 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.
- Flying operations at Geilenkirchen ended in January 1968 and the installation was handed over to the German Air Force in March 1968.
- Since coming into service in the early 1980s, the aircraft and their onboard systems and associated ground-based equipment have undergone regular upgrading.
- 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.
