Nonstop flight route between Christiansted, Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base (SSB), Christiansted, Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,439 miles (or 7,143 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 Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base 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 Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base 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 Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base (SSB):

• Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base (SSB) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base (SSB) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is nearly antipodal to Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base (meaning Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Barrow Island Airport), and is located 12,221 miles (19,668 kilometers) away in Barrow Island, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base (SSB) is Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport (STX), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) WSW of SSB.
• In addition to being known as "Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base", other names for SSB include "St. Croix Seaplane Base", "none" and "VI32".
• Because of Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Christiansted Harbor Seaplane Base 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.

Facts about NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (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 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 E-3A Component is NATO's first­ operational flying unit with multinational manning.
• 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.
• NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.
• The E-3A Component directly employs more than 3,000 personnel at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen and therefore has a significant economic impact in the surrounding communities.
• Since coming into service in the early 1980s, the aircraft and their onboard systems and associated ground-based equipment have undergone regular upgrading.
• Following NATO’s decision to establish the NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force program and to make the base near Teveren the Main Operating Base of the E­3A Component, a major construction program was started in 1980 to modify the operational and support facilities.
• 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.