Nonstop flight route between Findlay (near Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania, United States and Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), Findlay (near Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania, United States and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,981 miles (or 6,408 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 Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT):

• The closest airport to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is Forbes Field (FOE), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) ESE of PIT.
• PIT offers on site parking operated by the Grant Oliver Corporation and patrolled by the Allegheny County Police.
• Pittsburgh International Airport, formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a civil–military international airport in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Findlay Township and Moon Township, about 20 miles west of downtown Pittsburgh at Exit 53 of I-376 and the north end of PA Turnpike 576.
• Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) has 4 runways.
• On October 1, 1992 the new complex opened and all operations transferred over from the old terminal overnight.
• Until the beginning of World War II Moon Township, Pennsylvania was mostly a rural agricultural area.
• In 1972 rotundas were added to the end of each dock to expand the number of gates.
• The furthest airport from Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,481 miles (18,477 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• By the late 1990s growth had leveled off, with USAir concentrating on expanding at Philadelphia and Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.

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 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).
• 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.
• E-3A Component flying operations began in February 1982 after delivery of the first E­3A aircraft.
• 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.
• An Economic Impact Study compiled by the NATO E-3A Component shows a 2008 economic impact of 275.8 million euro within a 200-kilometer radius of the base.
• NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.