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Why do your planes sometimes fly as much as 20 times a day over our local area? Could you arrange to fly only when the sun isn’t shining?


The maximum of 2600 flight movements per year is calculated on the basis of all the days when the base is open at normal times. The actual number of flight movements per day depends on very many factors. The most important of these is the need to train pilots in flying over the local area around Geilenkirchen, where they have to be able operate even in bad weather conditions. Furthermore the weather in Geilenkirchen and at other European airfields, as well as the availability of those airfields, is an important aspect for ‘exporting’ the noise we make. Visibility, wind and rain are the most important factors determining whether flying is possible. Whether or not the sun is shining makes no difference. If we only flew on cloudy days, our training needs would require far more and people would then experience far more disturbance.

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Airborne Early Warning
& Control Force

P.O. Box 40800
Lilienthalallee 100
52511 Geilenkirchen
Germany

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Public Affairs Office
P.O. Box 40800
Lilienthalallee 100
52511 Geilenkirchen
Germany