Nonstop flight route between Ramstein, Germany and Grand Rapids, Minnesota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ramstein Air Base (RMS), Ramstein, Germany and Grand Rapids - Itasca County Airport (GPZ), Grand Rapids, Minnesota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,270 miles (or 6,873 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 Ramstein Air Base and Grand Rapids - Itasca County 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 Ramstein Air Base and Grand Rapids - Itasca County 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 Ramstein Air Base (RMS):

• With the creation of NATO in response to Cold War tensions in Europe in 1949, USAFE wanted its vulnerable fighter units in what was then West Germany moved west of the Rhine River to provide greater air defense warning time.
• One legacy of the two separate air bases is that the north side of Ramstein retained a separate APO from the south side.
• Ramstein Air Base also served as temporary housing for the United States men's national soccer team during the 2006 World Cup.
• During the initial postwar era, the USAAF repaired several former Luftwaffe airfields in Bavaria which was part of the American occupation zone of Germany.
• From 2004 to 2006, Ramstein Air Base underwent an extensive expansion with a major construction project – including an all-new airport terminal, among other new facilities, through the so-called Rhein-Main Transition Program which was initiated in support of the total closure of Rhein-Main Air Base on 30 December 2005 and transferring all its former capacities to Ramstein Air Base and Spangdahlem Air Base.
• While the KMC remains the largest U.S. community overseas at 53,000 people, the defense drawdown continues to shape its future.
• The furthest airport from Ramstein Air Base (RMS) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Ramstein Air Base (meaning Ramstein Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,003 miles (19,316 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Ramstein Air Base (RMS) is Sembach KaserneSembach Air Base (SEX), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) ENE of RMS.
• Ramstein AB is part of the Kaiserslautern Military Community , where more than 54,000 American service members and more than 5,400 US civilian employees live and work.
• In December 1980, HQ Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force was moved from Ramstein to Heidelberg and co-located with HQ Central Army Group.
• In addition to being known as "Ramstein Air Base", another name for RMS is "Ramstein AB".

Facts about Grand Rapids - Itasca County Airport (GPZ):

• In addition to being known as "Grand Rapids - Itasca County Airport", another name for GPZ is "Gordon Newstrom Field".
• Because of Grand Rapids - Itasca County Airport's relatively low elevation of 413 feet, planes can take off or land at Grand Rapids - Itasca County 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.
• Grand Rapids - Itasca County Airport (GPZ) has 3 runways.
• The furthest airport from Grand Rapids - Itasca County Airport (GPZ) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,692 miles (17,207 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Grand Rapids - Itasca County Airport (GPZ) is Range Regional Airport (HIB), which is located 34 miles (54 kilometers) ENE of GPZ.