Airports Langen FIR - EDGG

Please use all available parking positions to improve the trafic flow and to reduce delay, not only A and B stands! Check free parking positions here: https://vatsim-radar.com/airport/EDDF

Before you fly...

Welcome to Frankfurt/Main! This is one of the busiest airports in the world and the busiest airport on VATSIM. Due to the amount of traffic and the airport's complexity, it is very important that you prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

As Frankfurt/Main sees very regular staffing, it attracts a lot of pilots. If you are new to VATSIM, however, you might want to avoid the airport until you have gotten more comfortable with flying on the network. Controllers at Frankfurt/Main are usually too busy to provide much assistance to new users. There are many other, less busy and less complicated airports throughout Germany which see regular staffing as well and where controllers have more time for you.

Parking position

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Do not use stands V151, V152, and V153. These stands are located in the same position as the old N8 taxiway, which many sceneries still use. Parking at one of these stands would block the taxiway for other users and you can expect controllers to ask you to reposition yourself.

A380 parking positions

With the FBW A380 release for MSFS, we suggest using the following parking positions for the best experience. Only the positions below are suitable for the A388.

A54, A58, A62 (DLH)
C14S, C15S, C16S (DLH, QTR)
B26, B28, B46 (SIA, AAR, THA)
D4, E2, E5, E9 (UAE, KAL, ANA, JAL, ETD, AFR, BAW, CSN)
V135, V161, F231, F232, F233, F234, F237, F238 (remote, secondary)
G7, G9, G11, G13, K8, K10 (ferry)

Communication

Complex instructions

As there are various complex procedures at Frankfurt/Main, you may well encounter instructions that you are unable to comply with. This doesn't even have to be a lack of skill on your part: sometimes your simulator simply doesn't have the functionality required.

If you are unsure what the controller wants you to do or receive an instruction that you are unable to comply with for any reason, hold position and inform ATC immediately. Not doing so will most likely result in you doing something else than ATC expects, thus causing major problems and delays; on the other hand, controllers have no problem with you asking for an explanation or a different instruction.

Handoffs

When instructed to contact another controller, do so as soon as possible. This will avoid you having to stop moving or level off. Additionally, do not change your frequency without a handoff as all frequency changes at Frankfurt require an explicit handoff by ATC. Please do not hold your position to switch the frequency, keep moving on the ground!

Be aware that some frequencies in use might not be shown in the controller list of your pilot client, so it is important that you listen carefully to what ATC says.

Special taxi procedures

As Frankfurt/Main has a big and complex apron, there are various special taxi procedures which you might not be used to. Please familiarize yourself with them.

You must also be prepared to receive various hold short and give way instructions. Additionally, you should be prepared for revisions to your taxi clearance on short notice as the situation on the apron usually evolves very dynamically.

Colored lines

Some areas of the apron have colored taxiway lines which allow for more efficient taxi operations with aircraft up to a wingspan of 36 meters.

taxiing on N orange with opposite traffic on N blue

two aircraft passing each other on N orange and blue

Links

The apron at N7 and N8 utilizes so called Links to connect both taxiways at different points to allow for more efficient operations during periods of high traffic. Please refer to the images below if you are unsure which of the taxiway lines is the Link (you can click on the images to open a high resolution version).

Link 3

looking at Link 3 from the East (left) and the South (right)

Link 4

looking at Link 4 from the West (left) and the South (right)

Link 5

looking at Link 5 from the North (left) and the South (right)

Stopbars

There are multiple stopbars on taxiways U, T, and Y, which protect the extended centerlines of runways 25C/07C and 25L/07R. Do not cross these stopbars without explicit clearance as this would be considered a runway incursion. When cleared to cross a stopbar, do not stop moving until the entirety of your aircraft is past the following stopbar.

holding short of stopbar T4

EDDF - Frankfurt/Main

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Frankfurt/Main on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

There are special ground movement charts for the A380 available due to restricted taxiways!

You can find current VFR charts for Frankfurt/Main in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Frankfurt, we recommend openflightmaps.

Sceneries

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS/ MSFS24	flightsim.to \| GSX profile	Aerosoft
X-Plane	X-Plane Default Scenery	Aerosoft
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	Aerosoft

If you are using MSFS, we recommend using the virtualFRA freeware scenery or the Aerosoft payware scenery as it uses the most current airport layout. The MSFS Deluxe edition versions of the airport use an outdated layout.

EDDF - Frankfurt/Main

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Please use all available parking positions to improve the trafic flow and to reduce delay, not only A and B stands! Check free parking positions here: https://vatsim-radar.com/airport/EDDF

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight, but even more so when flying at a busy and complex airport like Frankfurt/Main. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will usually be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance. While ATC might occasionally be able to provide you with a valid route to your destination, this is not guaranteed. It is ultimately your responsibility as the pilot to plan and file a valid route.

SID assignment

ATC will usually assign SIDs according to the table below, but deviations are possible. If the first waypoint of your flight plan is not listed here, please check which AIRAC you are using - if your AIRAC cycle is too outdated, it might take some time until the controllers can coordinate a solution for you. Please also make sure you are complying with the restrictions for each of the available initial waypoints.

Default SID assignment

Waypoint	25C	07C	18	Restrictions
ANEKI	-	-	L	not to FIR München (EDMM)
CINDY	-	-	S	via T104 only to destination within FIR München (EDMM) via T604 only for propeller aircraft with maximum requested FL230
KOMIB	-	D	-	only to EDDN area
OBOKA	M / G	E / D	-
MARUN	M / F	E / D	-
SOBRA	-	-	L
SULUS	-	D	S
TOBAK	M / F	D	-	not via Z10
ULKIG	-	-	L
MTR	-	C	-	only for non-RNAV capable aircraft with maximum requested FL90
FKS	Q	C	B
TAU	Q	-	-

Enroute clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Frankfurt Delivery, Lufthansa 2FT, stand B27, request enroute clearance, information F.

Be aware that SIDs in Germany are usually runway dependent, so ATC will only inform you of your departure runway if it is not obvious from your SID assignment. As there are multiple different SIDs per waypoint and runway in Frankfurt/Main, it is very important that you brief and program the correct SID to avoid separation issues.

Datalink clearance (DCL)

Frankfurt/Main also offers electronic datalink clearances (DCL) - similar to pre-departure clearances (PDC) - using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code can always be found in the controller info for the controller currently issuing the enroute clearances; usually it is EDDF. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use the standalone easyCPDLC client.

Requesting clearance electronically is preferred over voice clearances as it reduces frequency congestion thus avoiding delays. Because of this, we ask all pilots able to use the Hoppie ACARS system to do so.

Startup

Startup approval is the controller's assurance that you will be cleared to start moving within the next few minutes. If Delivery and Apron are separately staffed, it is requested and approved separately from pushback.
Do not start your engines at the gate, unless you have a taxi-out position. Even with startup approval, the engines are started during pushback.

Pushback will not be issued by Delivery. Startup approval is not a clearance for pushback!

ACDM procedures

Frankfurt/Main employs ACDM procedures for more efficient operations. This requires pilots to comply with assigned ACDM times. Please set your TOBT and update it whenever your estimate changes by more than 5 minutes using the vACDM pilot interface to help controllers with preplanning and reducing delays.

If you are unfamiliar with ACDM procedures, please read the vACDM pilot guide.

Startup request

If you are unable to comply with any restriction on your assigned SID or cannot accept a wind component on your assigned departure runway, you need to inform ATC prior to your startup request so that they can coordinate another solution.

Pushback

Pushback instructions at a busy and complex airport like Frankfurt/Main can be longer and more precise than what you might be used to. It is very important that you follow these instructions promptly and accurately.

Only request pushback if you are actually ready to start pushing back. If you take longer than 1-2 minutes to start moving, ATC might have to cancel your pushback clearance to avoid delays for other pilots.
Keep in mind that some positions on Frankfurt/Main's apron are taxi-out stands. If you are parked on one of these taxi out stands, you won't need a pushback.

ATC might issue a pushback instruction that requires a push and pull procedure. Do not accept these clearances unless you are able to comply with them.

Pushback areas

Busy areas of Frankfurt/Main's apron utilize pushback areas for more efficient operations. The position of these areas can be found on the ground charts. With a properly realistic scenery, you will also see ground markings for each area, indicating where your nose gear has to be located after the pushback.

ground markings for area 5 on taxiway N8

ATC: Lufthansa 123, pushback approved, area 5.

For more information on the facing and position of each pushback area, have a look at the table below. Be aware that some of these areas require a push and pull procedure depending on where you were parked.

Pushback areas

Taxiway	Area	Nose gear abeam stand	Facing
N	2	E5 / V111	West/East
N-East	1	nose gear abeam service road between V106 and V107	North
N3	1	C6 / B44	South
N3	2	C11 / B45	South
N5	1	A15 / B22	South
	2	B25 / A21	South
	3	B26 / A25	South
N7	2	A24	South-West
	4	A30	West
	6	A40	West
N8	1	A16	West
	3	A58A	West
	5	A58B	East
	7	A66B	West
	9	short of N	South
P1	1	F238	West/East
P1	2	V267	West
S4	1	G6	North
S4	2	G12	North
S5	1	H4	North
S5	3	G13	North
S7	2	H12	North
S11	6	V326	North
S11	7	short of S	North
S13	1	K4	West
S15	2	K10	West
S15	4	short of S11	West

If you are parked at taxiway N7, ATC might instruct you to use one of the pushback areas on N8, and vice versa.

The latest version of the GSX profile for the MSFS virtualFRA scenery now includes all pushback areas, including those requiring push and pull. If you use MSFS and own GSX, we highly recommend using the virtualFRA scenery and the accompanying GSX profile to make it easy for you to comply with the pushback area assignments promptly and accurately.

Taxi-out stands

A1, B10, C2, S401-S420, V134-V136, and V151-V178 are taxi-out positions, so no pushback is required if you are parked there. However, you should be prepared to receive an initial taxi instruction away from your assigned departure runway. This will allow the Apron controller to smoothly integrate you into the traffic stream without undue delay.

Taxi

Frankfurt/Main's complex layout demands a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance and request taxi in a timely manner after your pushback.

Intersection departures

Frankfurt Apron has no authority to assign intersections for runway 25C/07C. Because of this, you will always be instructed to hold short of L3 or L20. Frankfurt Tower will assign intersections to achieve an efficient departure sequence.

ATC: Lufthansa 123, runway 25C, taxi via N7 L, hold short of L3.

holding short of L3

Do not turn into any runway intersection without an explicit instruction to do so by Frankfurt Tower.

Pilots should report the earliest intersection they can depart from to Frankfurt Tower on initial contact.

Transition 1 (Standard Taxi Route)

All aircraft parked east of N3 (or in the Southern part of the airport) and departing out of runway 18 must be prepared for a departure from intersection S. While controllers will usually ask pilots if they are able to depart from there, they are not required to do so. Keep in mind that you need explicit clearance to cross stopbars U2 and U6.

If you are unable to depart from intersection S, you have to inform the Apron controller on initial contact. The TORA from intersection S is 2755 m, which is enough for most light and medium aircraft (especially on short haul routes).

Handover point from Apron to Ground	Routing Transition 1
holding short of U2 (stopbar)	U - S - S11 - R - S28 - S

ATC: Lufthansa 123, taxi to holding point runway 18, intersection S, via Transition 1, cross U2 and U6.

Takeoff

Only use the absolute minimum amount of time necessary on the runway before beginning your takeoff roll. Due to various dependencies to other runways, there might be as little as 5 seconds for you to begin your takeoff roll after receiving your clearance. If you take too long, ATC will have to cancel your takeoff clearance.

At Frankfurt/Main, all aircraft are considered ready for departure by Tower. If you are not yet ready, inform Tower on initial contact.

Runway 18 - Intersection M

During 07 operations, ATC might instruct you to taxi down the runway to intersection M to reduce separation requirements with inbounds for 07R, thus improving efficiency. If you are unable to depart from this intersection, inform Tower on initial contact!

ATC: Lufthansa 123, line up runway 18, on the runway taxi down intersection M.

EDDF - Frankfurt/Main

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

STARs are assigned based on the waypoint at which you exit your route and the operating direction of the airport. The following table shows the standard STAR assignment; however, controllers might assign a different STAR (e.g. during night operations).

Waypoint	25 operations	07 operations
SPESA	B	C
EMPAX	B	C
IMCOM	A	D
(RASVO)	A	D
ROLIS	A	D
KERAX	A	D
DIXAT	A	D
(PETIX)	B	C

All STARs into Frankfurt/Main have altitude and speed restrictions. Make sure you comply with these unless they are explicitly cancelled by ATC.

In Germany, you are supposed to file your STAR. If you did so and you have not been cleared for a STAR when reaching the STAR entry fix, follow the filed STAR until reaching the clearance limit.

Descent planning

To avoid having to fly unnecessarily long finals, pilots should plan to cross the following waypoints at the following altitudes. Remember that all altitude changes require an explicit clearance by ATC.

ADNIS: FL100
KERAX: FL110
OSPUL: FL100
SPESA: FL110
ROLIS: FL150
RAMOB: FL110

Runway assignment

Runways are assigned either by Frankfurt Director or Approach. During high traffic situations, you have to expect the runway assignment on very short notice, so you should always prepare for all the standard approaches stated in the Arrival ATIS.

If your aircraft supports a secondary flight plan function, you should prepare the approach to one runway in your primary flight plan and to the other in the secondary flight plan to be able to quickly select the correct approach once assigned.

Runway 25R/07L is not available for aircraft of the following types:

Boeing 747
Airbus A380
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar
Antonov An-124
Antonov An-225

Additionally, aircraft of the types Antonov An-124 and An-225 can usually expect to be assigned runway 25C/07C.

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Frankfurt/Main will usually be an ILS approach; GLS approaches are available upon request.

Night operations

The real Frankfurt/Main airport has a night time flying restriction between 23 and 05 local time with special noise abatement procedures in effect between 22 and 06 local time. While you can of course still fly to the airport during these hours on VATSIM, controllers may decide to use the special noise abatement procedures.

During night operations, not all runways will be available, special noise abatement SIDs will be assigned to some aircraft, and all pilots will be assigned an RNP X approach. Aircraft unable to fly the RNP X approach should be prepared for some delay as pilots able to fly the RNP X approach will be treated with priority.

For runway 25R/07L, ILS Y with a 3.2° glideslope will normally be in use. ILS Z has a standard 3° glideslope and will be used during low visibility or if there is a tailwind component. Make sure you fly the procedure assigned by ATC.

Pilots unable to accept the 3.2° glideslope of ILS Y shall inform Frankfurt Approach on initial contact.

During periods of high traffic, ATC may employ independent parallel approaches. Otherwise, dependent parallel approaches will be in use with a minimum head-to-head separation of 1.5 NM.

ILS/LOC range issues

There is a known issue with the ILS/LOC range in some simulators being unrealistically short, so you might not be able to receive the ILS signal yet where ATC wants you to intercept the localizer. Please be aware of this and avoid overshooting the extended centerline. In these cases, we recommend you use the following transition waypoints to stay on centerline until capturing the ILS signal.

25R: DF426 - DF430
25L: DF626 - DF620
07R: DF654 - DF660
07L: DF454 - DF450

The LOC-reception in x-plane 12 is reported to be the same as displayed for P3D/FSX/MSFS.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 260 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

There is no restriction for maximum 250 KIAS below FL100 as the Frankfurt/Main TMA is class C.

You need to follow all speed instructions precisely to ensure separation until they are cancelled by ATC (the approach clearance does not cancel your speed instructions). If you need to slow down earlier for any reason, advise ATC immediately, so they can find an appropriate solution.

Landing

HIRO (High Intensity Runway Operations)

Due to the high volume of traffic, it is very important that every aircraft vacates the runway as quickly as possible to avoid go-arounds of following traffic. Pilots should use the first available high speed exit. Keep in mind that your aircraft needs to be past the appropriate runway holding point in its entirety before you are considered clear of the runway, so don't stop moving prematurely.
You should plan to use the following or earlier runway exits whenever possible.

Runway	Light	Medium (Prop)	Medium (Jet)	Heavy
25L	M11	M11	M17	M21
25C	L8	L8	L10	L13
25R	P14	P14	P16	P20
07L	P10	P8	P8	P6
07C	L11	L11	L11	L9
07R	M15	M15	M15	M13

If you need to vacate later than these exits, inform the Tower controller on initial contact which exit you are planning to use.

Pilots landing on runway 25L/07R and 25C/07C shall always vacate to the North unless instructed otherwise.

ATC might already give you your initial taxi clearance during roll-out, before you have actually vacated the runway.

Visual swingover

Pilots approaching runway 25L might be asked if they can accept a visual approach to runway 25C. This procedure allows for shorter taxi and can increase efficiency. Please only accept it if you have the runway in sight and are able to comply with all accompanying instructions.
Visual swingovers are not possible during 07 operations unless deemed necessary by Frankfurt Tower for safety reasons.

Taxi

Frankfurt/Main's complex layout demands a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance.

Runway crossing

Traffic landing on runway 25L/07R and parking on the Northern part of the airport will have to cross runway 25C/07C or its extended centerline. Before the crossing aircraft will be instructed to hold short of the CAT2/3 holding point or appropriate stopbar. Make sure you hold before the correct hold short line. You can expect to cross the runway at one of the following points. Please brief expected initial taxi routes during your approach briefing to avoid having to stop taxiing after vacating and thus blocking the runway exit.

25 operations	07 operations
stopbar T4	stopbar T4
intersection M10	intersection M6
intersection M30	intersection M8
stopbar Y10	-

holding at the CAT2/3 holding point at M30

The above crossing points are arranged such that the crossing has the least amount of impact on traffic taxiing on the Apron. Turning into the wrong intersection will require additional coordination between Frankfurt Tower and Frankfurt Apron, which might result in some delay for you, depending on how busy these controllers are.

EDDF - Frankfurt/Main

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Frankfurt/Main’s airspace and amount of jetliner traffic make the airport very unsuitable for VFR traffic in the real world. As there is a high level of traffic on VATSIM as well, controllers will often be unable to accommodate many VFR requests. Especially during events you can expect to be denied traffic circuits and might face significant delays for takeoffs, landings, and CTR crossings.

You should be prepared for the controller to instruct you to leave the control zone if the traffic load rises or you fail to comply with instructions promptly and accurately.

In the real world, most non-airline traffic will fly to Frankfurt-Egelsbach instead of Frankfurt/Main.

Airspace Structure

The Frankfurt/Main CTR has a top altitude of 2500 ft MSL, about 2100 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH and your altitude to avoid inadvertently entering airspace D or C above.

There are four mandatory reporting points around the CTR. Romeo 1 and Sierra are generally only available for departures. If Egelsbach Radio is staffed, traffic via Lima is subject to approval by Egelsbach Radio. Keep in mind that ATC might instruct you to use a different reporting point than the one you requested, if necessary.

Two VFR holdings are charted for Frankfurt, one in the North and one in the South of the field. If no further clearance has been given after entering the CTR, you are expected to hold using these VFR holdings.

Frankfurt/Main is bordered by the Egelsbach ATZ in the Southeast and the Wiesbaden CTR(HX) in the Northwest.

Departure

VFR departures have to initially call Frankfurt Delivery.

When departing runways 25L or 25C, you can expect to be instructed to not overfly runway 18. If you are unable to comply with this instruction, inform ATC on initial contact that you need to overfly runway 18.

Arrival

Runway 25R/07L is not available for VFR traffic.

Traffic circuits

Due to the layout of Frankfurt/Main, the airspace around it, and the high amount of jetliner traffic, the airport is not well suited for VFR traffic circuits. This means that pilots need to be very proficient and can expect to spend a lot of time in one of the holdings.

During periods of high traffic, ATC might need to fit you into very tight gaps, resulting in very short to non-existent finals as well as early crosswind turns. Please follow all instructions accurately and immediately to avoid go arounds and ensure separation.

Who to contact?

When multiple Tower stations are staffed, it might not be immediately obvious who you should contact. Please refer to the following table in such cases:

Intention	Frequency (contact topmost station online)
Outbound	122.035 (Frankfurt Delivery)
Inbound from the North	136.500 (Frankfurt Tower)
	124.855 (Frankfurt Tower)
	118.780 (Frankfurt Tower)
Inbound from the South	119.905 (Frankfurt Tower)
Inbound from the South	118.780 (Frankfurt Tower)

EDDG - Münster/Osnabrück

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Münster/Osnabrück! This small airport primarily hosts airline flights from or to holiday destinations but features some short haul domestic flights to other German airports as well. Among VFR pilots, it is a favorite due to its relatively simple airspace structure and airport layout and is frequently used for training flights. Additionally, it has two uncontrolled grass runways directly parallel to the hard surface runway, as well as a rescue helicopter stationed at a helipad just South of the field, creating a very dynamic environment.
Although the airport has a relatively simple layout and low traffic levels on VATSIM, you should still prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM, Münster/Osnabrück is a perfect airport to get started on the network. Controllers will almost always have enough spare capacity to answer questions or quickly explain a procedure to you. It rarely gets very busy, so making smaller mistakes will usually not have a negative impact on anybody else's experience on the network. However, you should be prepared for some more unusual situations when there is glider and/or rescue helicopter traffic.

Parking position

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Passenger flights park at positions 9 thru 14, with flights to non-Schengen destinations generally using positions 12 thru 14.
Heavy aircraft can only park at stands 21 and 24 facing North towards the runway.
Business jets park at positions 18A thru 19E.
General aviation aircraft park positions 101 thru 406, with stands 301 thru 303 being limited to max. 20m wingspan, and stands 401 thru 406 to max. 12m wingspan.

All stands are taxi-out positions. However, on stands 9 thru 14, pushback is mandatory for aircraft with a wingspan of 36m or more and ATC may require any other aircraft on these stands to do a pushback depending on the traffic situation.

As aircraft deicing is conducted on positions 24 and 25, we ask all pilots to only use these stands for parking when absolutely necessary, especially during colder temperatures.

Münster/Osnabrück is not equipped to handle A380 aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Handoffs

When instructed to contact another controller, do so as soon as possible. This will avoid you having to stop moving or level off. Please do not hold your position to switch the frequency, keep moving on the ground!

Be aware that some frequencies in use might not be shown in the controller list of your pilot client, so it is important that you listen carefully to what ATC says.

Auto-handoff

Münster/Osnabrück utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current airborne frequency will always be noted in the ATIS.

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDDG - Münster/Osnabrück

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Münster/Osnabrück on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

You can find current VFR charts for Münster/Osnabrück in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Münster/Osnabrück, we recommend openflightmaps.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	flightsim.to	M'M Simulation (Orbx)
X-Plane	X-Plane forums	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDDG - Münster/Osnabrück

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will generally be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance.

SID assignment

ATC will assign SIDs according to the table below. If the first waypoint of your flight plan is not listed here, please check which AIRAC you are using - if your AIRAC cycle is too outdated, it might take some time until the controllers can coordinate a solution for you. Please also make sure you are complying with the restrictions for each of the available initial waypoints.

Default SID assignment

Waypoint	07	25	Restrictions
DOMEG	E	C
HMM	Y	Z	07 operations: only (turbo-)prop up to 5.7t MTOM 25 operations: jet aircraft only up to 20t MTOM
OSN	E	C
RKN	E	C

Enroute Clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Münster Ground, Lufthansa 5EK, stand 12, request enroute clearance, information M.

Datalink Clearance (DCL)

Münster/Osnabrück also offers electronic datalink clearances (also known as PDC or Pre-Departure Clearance) on VATSIM using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code is EDDG. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use easyCPDLC.

Startup

Startup approval is the "go" from the controller's side to start your engines. It is also an assurance that you will be cleared to start moving within the next 20 minutes. It can be requested and approved together with pushback.

Pushback

Keep in mind that some positions on Münster/Osnabrück's apron are taxi-out stands. If you are parked on one of these taxi-out stands, you won't need a pushback.

If you are unsure about your pushback instruction or unable to comply for any reason, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Taxi

While Münster/Osnabrück's layout is relatively simple, it is still important to conduct a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance and request taxi in a timely manner after your pushback.

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Run-up

There are run-up areas at runway intersections A and B, called A1 and B1. If you require a run-up, inform Münster Ground as early as possible so they can issue an appropriate instruction.

Takeoff

Münster/Osnabrück has only one runway which needs to be used for both departures and arrivals. While there is usually not too much other traffic, it is still important to begin your takeoff roll as soon as you receive your clearance and be prepared for immediate takeoff clearances. If you take too long, ATC might have to cancel your takeoff clearance and issue a go around for an arriving aircraft.

Auto-handoff

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDDG - Münster/Osnabrück

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

You can usually expect not to fly out your STAR and instead to get radar vectors. However, you should be prepared to fly the STAR followed by a standard approach via the Hamm VOR (HMM) or Osnabrück VOR (OSN).

Descent planning

BAMSU: FL190
DOMEG: FL190
HMM: FL140
OSN: FL70
QATJA: FL230
SONEB: FL110

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Münster/Osnabrück will usually be an ILS approach.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 250 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

There is a restriction for maximum 250 KIAS below FL100 as the Münster/Osnabrück TMA is partly class D and partly class E (with a TMZ below FL60).

You need to follow all speed instructions precisely until they are cancelled by ATC to ensure separation. If you need to slow down earlier for any reason, advise ATC immediately, so they can issue an appropriate instruction.

Taxi

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

EDDG - Münster/Osnabrück

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Münster/Osnabrück’s airspace and general traffic levels make the airport very friendly to VFR traffic in the real world. As this is similar on VATSIM, controllers will usually be able to accommodate VFR requests. However, the limited amount of space at Münster/Osnabrück can result in situations where some VFR requests might be denied during periods of high traffic.

Airspace Structure

CTR

The Münster/Osnabrück CTR has a top altitude of 2500 ft MSL, about 2300 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH and your altitude to avoid inadvertently entering airspace D above.

The following mandatory reporting points exist around the airport:

Reporting point	Use	Location
D	Exit to the NW 25 operations	motorway intersection B475/B481
E	Entry/Exit from/to the E	Kattenvenne village
N1	Entry/Exit from/to the N	Dörenthe village
N2	non-compulsory reporting point	Ladbergen industrial district
S	Entry/Exit from/to the S	canal bridges Greven
T	Entry from the NE all operations Exit to the NE 07 operations	Habichtswald forest
W	Entry/Exit from/to the SW	highway A1 bridge South of golf course Aldruper Heide

The maximum altitude for all VFR arrivals and departures is 2000ft.

Keep in mind that ATC might instruct you to use a different reporting point than the one you requested, if necessary.

There is also a published VFR holding North of N2.

Airspace D

The Münster/Osnabrück TMA is partly class D, directly above the CTR, reaching up to 4500ft. All aircraft intending to enter this part of the TMA require a clearance from the responsible controller.

TMZ

The Münster/Osnabrück TMA is partly class E with a partial transponder mandatory zone reaching up to FL60. All VFR aircraft inside the TMZ have to squawk 6104 and monitor 129.300.

Even when no dedicated controller is covering 129.300, you still have to set the squawk and monitor the frequency. During top down service at Münster/Osnabrück, most controllers will use 129.300 as a secondary frequency and even if they don't, they can quickly activate it if they need to speak to you.

Luftfahrtvereinigung Greven

The LfV Greven is based North of the field and operates two grass runways parallel to the main hard surface runway; additionally, it is connected to the main airport area by a hard surface taxiway opposite to taxiway C.

LfV Greven AoR

While the area belonging to the LfV Greven is uncontrolled, all movements require ATC approval. For taxi, pilots need to request approval from Münster Ground; for runway operations, pilots need to request approval from Münster Tower.

ATC will not give clearances in the LfV Greven AoR. Only approvals are given, which means pilots are still responsible to make sure the action is safe.

Technically, all aircraft who can safely take off from and/or land on the grass runways are allowed to do so, but usually, they are only used by gliders, TMGs, and ultralights. Whenever possible, pilots shall use the Northern grass runway; the Southern runway is primarily used for glider landings.
The runways are named 07 Grass and 25 Grass.

All approaches to the grass runways are conducted at an angle to stay as far away from the hard surface runway for as long as possible.

Hard surface runway

Aircraft parked at the LfV Greven hangar intending to use Münster/Osnabrück's hard surface runway have to taxi to the airport fence where they will get a taxi clearance to enter the controlled area of the airport from Münster Tower. Aircraft able to depart directly from the intersection may request an intersection departure.

Christoph Westfalen

The rescue helicopter Christoph Westfalen is stationed at its own helipad in the industrial district just South of the airport. The helipad is uncontrolled, so the helicopter may depart on the pilot's discretion. However, they are required to contact Münster Tower immediately after departure (or, if possible, even before departure). Landings are also conducted on the pilot's discretion.

EDDK - Köln/Bonn

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Köln/Bonn! This airport is located within the most complex airspace within Germany. During the day, it's a relatively quiet airport, often seeing more VFR than IFR traffic; however, unlike many other German airports, there is no night flying restriction which results in high traffic volumes - especially cargo flights - during the night. Additionally, Köln/Bonn serves as a base for the German Air Force, primarily its executive transport wing, and two rescue helicopters are stationed here.
Although the airport has a relatively simple layout, due to the limited space and complex airspace structure in this area, you should still prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM, Köln/Bonn can be a great airport to get used to more complex airspaces once you have gotten a bit more comfortable with flying on the network. However, when there is a lot of traffic (e.g. during events), the airport can quickly become very busy and reach its capacity, so beginners might want to avoid flying here during these times.

Runway update

With AIRAC 2404, Köln/Bonn's runways 14/32 were renamed to 13/31. This change has not yet propagated to flight simulator sceneries. Please keep in mind that your scenery will likely have outdated runway numbers which results in SIDs and RNAV transitions not being available in the FMC for MSFS users. Please make sure you are using a sufficiently up to date AIRAC due to the procedure overhaul that has accompanied this change and, if you are using the default or City Update 4 scenery, install this MSFS addon into your Community folder to ensure you can load procedures for the renamed runways in your FMC.

Parking position

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Passenger flights use parking positions on the Northeastern apron (all A-, B-, C-, and D-stands).

Passenger aircraft with a wingspan of more than 36 m should only park at A- and B-stands. Parking at C- and D-stands with these aircraft will most likely result in additional delay during periods of high traffic as your pushback will cause a "traffic jam" for other pilots.

Cargo flights use parking positions on the central apron (all E-, F-, and W-stands).
General aviation aircraft use the GA apron at hangars I, II, and III.
Military traffic uses the military apron located West of runway 13R/31L.

777 parking positions

With the PMDG 777 release for MSFS, we suggest using the following parking positions for the best experience. Only the positions below are suitable for the B773/B77W.

B11, B17, B21 (MSR)
C50 (DLH group, MSR)
D15, D19, D23 (BAW, THY)
E9, E13, E15, E17, E19, E21, E31, E33, E35, E41, E43, E45 (cargo, overflow positions)
F21, F23, F25, F31 (cargo, overflow positions)

A380 parking positions

While Köln/Bonn is technically equipped to handle A380 aircraft, it is only available as a diversion airport for the type in the real world. This means that only some remote cargo positions are large enough to park the aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Please only use the following stands when flying an A380 from/to Köln/Bonn airport:

E31, E33, E35, E41, E45 (primary use)
E43, F21, F23, F25, F31 (secondary use)

Communication

Complex instructions

As space is at a premium on Köln/Bonn's apron and controllers have to find creative solutions to avoid delays, you may well encounter instructions that you are unable to comply with. This doesn't even have to be a lack of skill on your part: sometimes your simulator simply doesn't have the functionality required.

If you receive an instruction that you are unable to comply with for any reason, hold position and inform ATC immediately!

If you are unsure what the controller wants you to do, hold position and inform ATC immediately. Not doing so will most likely result in you doing something else than ATC expects, thus causing major problems and delays; on the other hand, controllers have no problem with you asking for an explanation or a different instruction.

Handoffs

Colored lines

Parts of the Northwestern apron utilize colored taxiway lines which allow for more efficient taxi operations with aircraft up to a wingspan of 36 meters.

If ATC instructs you to use one of these colored lines, but they are missing from your scenery, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

taxiing on the blue line with opposite traffic on the orange line

two aircraft passing each other on the orange and blue lines

EDDK - Köln/Bonn

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Köln/Bonn on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

You can find current VFR charts for Köln/Bonn in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Köln/Bonn, we recommend openflightmaps.

Airport Scenery

Please inform ATC immediately if you are unable to comply with an instruction due to an outdated scenery.

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	City Update 04	Aerosoft
X-Plane	X-Plane Scenery Gateway	Aerosoft
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	Aerosoft

EDDK - Köln/Bonn

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will generally be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance.

SID assignment

Default SID assignment

Waypoint	31R	13L	Restrictions
COL	B / R	F	only for local IFR training flights or to destination EDDF
KUMIK	B / R	F
NVO	B / R	F
PODIP	B / R	F
WYP	B / R	F

Enroute clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Köln/Bonn Delivery, Postman 167, stand E24, request clearance, information K.

All SIDs in Köln/Bonn are runway dependent, so ATC will not inform you of your departure runway as this is already clear from your SID assignment.

Datalink clearance (DCL)

Köln/Bonn also offers electronic datalink clearances (DCL) - similar to pre-departure clearances (PDC) - using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code can always be found in the controller info for the controller currently issuing the enroute clearances; usually it is EDDK. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use the standalone easyCPDLC client.

Startup

Startup approval is the "go" from the controller's side to start your engines. It is also an assurance that you will be cleared to start moving within the next few minutes. It is requested and approved separately from pushback.

Pushback will not be issued by Delivery. Startup approval is not a clearance for pushback!

ACDM Procedures

While the real Köln/Bonn does not employ ACDM procedures, on VATSIM they are sometimes necessary for efficient operations. This requires pilots to comply with assigned ACDM times. Please set your TOBT using the vACDM pilot interface to help the controllers with preplanning and reduce delays.

When there is delay during periods of high traffic, it is your responsibility to request startup during your TSAT window - don't rely on ATC to call you!

If you are unfamiliar with ACDM procedures, please read the vACDM pilot guide.

Pushback

Colored lines pushback

Aircraft parked at C- or D-stands with a maximum wingspan of 36 m can expect a pushback clearance onto one of the colored lines instead of taxiway M or N.

Taxi

While Köln/Bonn's layout is relatively simple, it is still important to conduct a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance and request taxi in a timely manner after your pushback.

Takeoff

Auto-handoff

Köln/Bonn utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current departure frequency will always either be noted in the ATIS or part of your clearance.

Contact the departure frequency when passing 2000 ft unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDDK - Köln/Bonn

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

STARs are rarely used in Köln/Bonn. Instead, you can expect either a direct to a transition waypoint or vectors.

All RNAV transitions for Köln/Bonn have altitude restrictions and some also have speed restrictions. Make sure you comply with these unless they are explicitly cancelled by ATC.

Descent planning

DENOV: FL180
ERNEP: FL100
GULKO: FL110
IBESA: FL190
KOPAG: FL120
NIVNU: FL180
PODAT: FL180
PODEN: FL180
RASVO: FL140

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Köln/Bonn will usually be an ILS approach. However, aircraft approaching runways 06, 13R, or 31L will have to fly an RNP approach.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 250 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

Landing

Due to tight spacings, it is very important - especially during periods of high traffic - that every pilot vacates the runway as quickly as possible to avoid go-arounds of following traffic. Whenever sensible, pilots should use the first available high speed exit. Keep in mind that your aircraft needs to be past the appropriate runway holding point in its entirety before you are considered clear of the runway, so don't stop moving prematurely.

Aircraft landing on runway 13L and 31R should plan to vacate via A3.
Aircraft landing on runway 24 should plan to vacate via T.

Aircraft landing on runway 06 should ask ATC which exit they can use to vacate.

Do not vacate onto runway 06/24 unless the controller has informed you that you can vacate via this runway or it is available for taxi.

EDDK - Köln/Bonn

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Köln/Bonn’s airspace and general traffic levels make the airport friendly, but occasionally challenging to VFR traffic in the real world. As this is similar on VATSIM, controllers will usually be able to accommodate VFR requests. However, the limited amount of space and complex runway system at Köln/Bonn can result in situations where some VFR requests might be denied during periods of high traffic.

Additionally, you should be prepared for the controller to instruct you to leave the control zone if the traffic load rises or you fail to comply with instructions promptly and accurately.

Airspace Structure

The Cologne/Bonn CTR has a top altitude of 2500 ft MSL, about 2200 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH and your altitude to avoid inadvertently entering airspace C above.

The following reporting points exist around the airport. All of these are mandatory reporting points except for Echo 2.

Reporting Point	Location
N1	A4 exit Bergisch Gladbach-Bensberg
N2	A3 service station Königsforst-Ost
E1	Neunkirchen church
E2	A3 service station Sülztal
S1	mouth of the Sieg river into the Rhine
S2	football fields North of the village of Troisdorf-Spich
K1	highway intersection A1 and A57
K2	A4 bridge over the Rhine

Departures

VFR departures do not have to call Delivery and can instead make their initial call to Ground when ready for taxi.

EDDL - Düsseldorf

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Düsseldorf! This medium-sized airport, which is one of the busiest on VATSIM, hosts flights from and to many different destinations throughout Europe as well as some longer flights from or to the Middle East. Due to the amount of traffic and the airport's complexity, it is very important that you prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM, you might want to avoid the airport until you have gotten more comfortable with flying on the network. Controllers at Düsseldorf are usually too busy to provide much assistance to new users. There are many other, less busy and less complicated airports throughout Germany which see regular staffing as well and where controllers have more time for you.

Parking position

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Passenger flights use any parking position that is not designated for other use, but primarily those at the Terminal. A380s can only use stands C02A, V08B, and V11B.
Cargo flights use parking positions V38 thru V42 at the cargo terminal.
General aviation aircraft use the general aviation apron in the Southwest of the airport.

Do not use stand V01 as this stand blocks part of TWY T.

If possible, avoid using stands V02 thru V08 and V61 thru V72, particularly when icing conditions can be expected, as these parking positions double as deicing pads.

777 parking positions

With the PMDG 777 release for MSFS, we suggest using the following parking positions for the best experience. Only the positions below are suitable for the B773/B77W.

A05, A07, A11, A12A (DLH group & Star Alliance)
B03, B06, B08, B09 (Schengen only)
C02, C03, C05, C06 (THY, BAW, QTR, UAE, ETD, MSR)

A380 parking positions

With the FBW A380 release for MSFS, we suggest using the following parking positions for the best experience. Only the positions below are suitable for the A388.

C02A, V38B (primary use)
V08B, V11B (overflow positions)

Communication

Complex instructions

As space is at a premium on Düsseldorf's apron and in its TMA, which results in controllers having to find creative solutions to avoid delays, you may well encounter instructions that you are unable to comply with. This doesn't even have to be a lack of skill on your part: sometimes your simulator simply doesn't have the functionality required.

If you receive an instruction that you are unable to comply with for any reason, hold position and inform ATC immediately!

Handoffs

Auto-handoff

Düsseldorf utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the departure controller. The current airborne frequency will always be noted in the ATIS.

Contact the airborne frequency when passing 2000ft unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDDL - Düsseldorf

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Düsseldorf on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

You can find current VFR charts for Düsseldorf in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Düsseldorf, we recommend openflightmaps.

Sceneries

The Southwestern apron area was recently reconstructed. ATC is aware of these changes but will work under the assumption that everyone has the old layout in their scenery as all payware sceneries still use the old layout.

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	flightsim.to \| GSX Profile	outdated - not recommended
X-Plane 11/12	X-Plane Default Scenery	outdated - not recommended
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	JustSim P3D V4.4+ \| JustSim P3D V5

All available payware sceneries only have an outdated groundlayout and are not recommended.
MSFS freeware and X-Plane default scenery have the current groundlayout!

EDDL - Düsseldorf

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight, but even more so when flying at a busy and complex airport like Düsseldorf. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will usually be valid.

SID assignment

If there is no SID leading to the first waypoint of your flight plan, please check which AIRAC you are using - if your AIRAC cycle is too outdated, it might take some time until the controllers can coordinate a solution for you. Please also make sure you are complying with the following restrictions that exist for some of these waypoints.

Waypoint	Restrictions
DODEN	only for jet aircraft with requested FL250 or above
GMH	only for flights with requested FL140 or below
KUMIK	only for flights with requested FL150 or above
LMA	only for flights with destination EDLN
MODRU	only for flights with requested FL210 or above
NETEX	only between 2200 and 0600 local time and during weekends and holidays only for flights with requested FL100-FL200 or via Z282 DIBIR L179 ... traffic via waypoints RASCA or DELOM shall file MODRU-SID NETEX DCT RASCA/DELOM ... and leave MODRU SID after NETEX
NVO	only for flights with requested FL90 or below or, between 0600 and 0800 local time, via Q760
NUDGO	only for flights with requested FL240 or below

Enroute clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Düsseldorf Delivery, Eurowings 31A, stand A12, request enroute clearance, information D.

All SIDs in Düsseldorf are runway dependent, so ATC will not inform you of your departure runway as this is already clear from your SID assignment.

Datalink clearance (DCL)

Düsseldorf also offers electronic datalink clearances (DCL) - similar to pre-departure clearances (PDC) - using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code can always be found in the controller info for the controller currently issuing the enroute clearances; usually it is EDDL. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use the standalone easyCPDLC client.

Startup

Startup approval is the controller's assurance that you will be cleared to start moving within the next few minutes. If Delivery and Ground are separately staffed, it is requested and approved separately from pushback.
Do not start your engines at the gate, unless you have a taxi-out position. Even with startup approval, the engines are started during pushback.

Pushback will not be issued by Delivery. Startup approval is not a clearance for pushback!

ACDM procedures

Düsseldorf employs ACDM procedures for more efficient operations. This requires pilots to comply with assigned ACDM times. Please set your TOBT and update it whenever your estimate changes by more than 5 minutes using the vACDM pilot interface to help controllers with pre-planning and reducing delays.

If you are unfamiliar with ACDM procedures, please read the vACDM pilot guide.

Startup request

Pushback

Aircraft parked at a position requiring pushback can normally expect to push back according to the following concept. Please keep in mind, though, that controllers may deviate from this norm - always push back as instructed by ATC.

A01 thru A03: onto T facing East or West
A04 thru A09: onto P1 facing North
A10 thru A16 & B01 thru B04: onto T facing East or West
B05 & B06: onto T facing West or onto P4 facing North
B07 & B08 & C04 & C05: onto P4 facing North
B09 thru B11 & C01 thru C03: onto R facing West (inside the alley)
C06 & C07: onto Y facing West (inside the alley)
V02 thru V27 & V38 thru V46: onto T facing East or West
V28 & V29 & V47 thru V53: onto T facing West
V70 & V73 & V74 & V80 thru V87: onto L7 facing North
V91 thru V97 & V101 thru V108: onto L9 facing North

Some of these pushbacks require a push-and-pull maneuver. If you are unable to perform such a maneuver, do not accept your pushback clearance and inform ATC that you are unable for a push-and-pull maneuver.

Taxi

Düsseldorf's complex layout demands a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance and request taxi in a timely manner after your pushback.

Düsseldorf Ground uses so called checkpoints for handovers between the Ground stations; these checkpoints are not located at taxiway intersections but it is nevertheless important to hold short of them when instructed to do so.

Takeoff

Line-up

All aircraft should be prepared for a departure from intersection L1 instead of full-length while runway 23L is in use for departures. Aircraft that need the additional 55m of runway length may request a special line up which includes a 270 degree turn.

Minimum runway occupancy time

At Düsseldorf, all aircraft are considered ready for departure by Tower. If you are not yet ready, inform Tower on initial contact.

Auto-handoff

Düsseldorf utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current airborne frequency will always be stated in the ATIS.

Contact the airborne frequency when passing 2000ft unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

Steep turns after departure

During 23 operations, pilots flying a MEVEL or SONEB SID will have to perform a very steep turn after departure. Most autopilots are unable to fly this turn, so pilots should always handfly the departure until this initial turn is completed as well as paying close attention to the speed limit of 190 KIAS during the turn.

EDDL - Düsseldorf

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

You can expect to be assigned one of the RNAV transitions corresponding to the runway in use.

All RNAV transitions for Düsseldorf have altitude restrictions and most of them also have speed restrictions. Make sure you comply with these unless they are explicitly cancelled by ATC.

Descent planning

BIKMU: FL130
DENOV: FL230
DOMUX: FL140
ELDAR: FL80
HALME: FL140
IBESA: FL230
KOGES: FL230
PODAT: FL230
PODEN: FL230
ROMIN: FL230
TEBRO: FL150
XAMOD: FL140

Additionally, pilots should expect the following amount of track miles to touchdown from the respective waypoints and plan their descend profile accordingly:

Waypoint	Runway	Track miles
BIKMU	05	27 NM
BIKMU	23	49 NM
DOMUX	05	66 NM
DOMUX	23	41 NM
TEBRO	05	75 NM
TEBRO	23	62 NM
XAMOD	05	67 NM
XAMOD	23	46 NM

Runway assignment

Düsseldorf will only ever use one runway for landings; which of the two runways this currently is will be stated in the ATIS. Deviations are only possible for safety reasons, e.g. if the available landing distance on the designated landing runway is too short.

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Düsseldorf will usually be an ILS approach.

Non-jet aircraft up to 5.7t MTOM may request a visual approach; a visual approach is not available for aircraft that do not meet this restriction unless specifically assigned by ATC during a swingover to the parallel runway while on final approach.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 260 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

There is no restriction for maximum 250 KIAS below FL100 as the Düsseldorf TMA is class C.

Landing

HIRO (High Intensity Runway Operations)

If you landed on runway 05L/23R, you do not need clearance to taxi to the holding point of runway 05R/23L.

Taxi

Düsseldorf Ground uses so called checkpoints for handovers between the other Ground stations; these checkpoints are not located at taxiway intersections but it is nevertheless important to hold short of them when instructed to do so.

EDDL - Düsseldorf

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Despite Düsseldorf's complex and restrictive airspace as well as the high amount of jetliner traffic, the airport also sees a lot of VFR traffic. While controllers will usually be able to accommodate VFR requests, the limited amount of space at Düsseldorf can result in situations where some VFR requests might be denied during periods of high traffic.

Additionally, you should be prepared for the controller to instruct you to leave the control zone if the traffic load rises or you fail to comply with instructions promptly and accurately.

Airspace structure

The Düsseldorf CTR has a top altitude of 2500 ft MSL, about 2300 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH and your altitude to avoid inadvertently entering airspace C above.

The following mandatory reporting points exist around the airport:

Reporting point	Location
E	highway intersection A3 and A46
N	Rhine train bridge Hochfelder
S	lake Silbersee

Keep in mind that ATC might instruct you to use a different reporting point than the one you requested, if necessary.

Departure

VFR departures have to initially call Düsseldorf Delivery.

Arrival

Contact Düsseldorf Tower no later than 5 minutes before reaching your requested CTR entry point.

Traffic circuits

EDDR - Saarbrücken

Departing Traffic

Saarbrücken is not equipped to handle A380 aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Start-Up and Enroute (IFR) Clearance

In Germany you have to request “start-up” to get your IFR clearance. This does not include the pushback, therefore a separate approval is required!

Always check the current ATIS first!
Report Callsign, ATIS Information and request start-up and enroute clearance
Only request start-up when you are ready for pushback within the next 5 minutes
Clearance also available via Datalink (PDC/DCL via Hoppie ACARS System) - check Controller Info for Airport Code!
Valid routes out of Saarbrücken are available via grd.aero-nav.com.
There are a number of different SID available for different performances, please always make sure you will fly the assigned one.
Report if unable to comply with a climb restriction.

Pushback

There is no pushback on any position required. Please contact the Controller after starting up the engine for taxi.

Tower

There are no useful intersections you can expect. If you a light General Aviation Aircraft, you might get the intersection B. Keep in mind that in departing Runway 09 you then have max. 950 m Runway length and on departing Runway 27 max. 1000m.

Departure

Departing IFR traffic have to contact Langen Radar without separate instruction, immediately when airborne. You will always find the correct departure frequency in the ATIS.

EDDR - Saarbrücken

Arriving Traffic

Arrival

There are no Stars available at Saarbrücken. There is a 250KTS/FL100 restriction at EDDR within airspace E (more or less everywhere around the airport). Normal descent speeds are 250 KT until instructed by ATC. As a general guidance on base you should be around 220kt, when cleared for the final approach between 200-180 KT. Expect to cross the FAF/FAP between 200 -180 KT and to maintain 170 KT until 5 DME.

Expect RNAV Arrivals into EDDR. There is only an ILS CAT I on Runway 27 available.

Permitted Aircrafts

Traffic with WTC Heavy is not permitted to land in EDDR. Also for all other aircraft there is not gate available.

EDDR - Saarbrücken

Charts and Scenery

IFR Charts for Saarbrücken are available at https://chartfox.org/EDDR (Vatsim Login required).

VFR Charts are available for every airfield in Germany via https://www.vfraip.de/ (official DFS VFR AIP) or with less information at https://www.openflightmaps.org/ed-germany/.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	--	freds-airports.de
X-Plane	X-Plane Default Scenery	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDDS - Stuttgart

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Stuttgart! This is an incredibly versatile airport: many short- and medium-haul as well as a handful of long-haul flights depart and arrive here and during the holiday season, a lot of vacationers from Southwestern Germany pass through its gates. It's also a favorite among VFR pilots due to the relatively simple airspace structure and airport layout, the beautiful landscape, and the many small uncontrolled and controlled airfields in the vicinity. Additionally, the US Army runs its own ramp for training flights and the Baden-Württemberg state police helicopter squadron is stationed here.
Although the airport has a simple layout and moderate traffic levels on VATSIM, you should still prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM, Stuttgart is a perfect airport to get started on the network. Controllers usually have enough spare capacity to answer questions or quickly explain a procedure to you. However, with its single runway, the airport can become very busy when there's a lot of traffic (e.g. during events) and controllers may need to apply special procedures to reduce delays for everyone as much as possible, so beginners might want to avoid flying here during these times.

Parking Position

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Passenger flights use parking positions on the Northern apron, while cargo flights use the Southern Apron. B748 can only park at positions 71A, 74A, 105, and 106; A380 can only park at positions 71A and 74A.
General aviation aircraft use the general aviation aprons GA2 and GA3. GA2 is only available for aircraft with MTOM < 2.000 kg and GA3 can accommodate aircraft up to 29 m wingspan and 30.3 m length. The general aviation apron is also typically used for non-US military aircraft of an appropriate size.
US military aircraft use the US Army apron located between taxiways Y and R.
The helicopter squadron of the Baden-Württemberg police is based out of their own apron west of the US Army apron.

Stands 40 - 56, 200 - 204, and all GAT positions are taxi-out positions, no pushback is required. Stands 61 - 64 can also be used as taxi-out positions if the respective opposite position is unoccupied.

Do not use stand 65 as this stand has been newly added during recent construction work in the GAT area which is not yet implemented in most sceneries and would thus interfere with most pilots' ability to properly use the GAT and its taxiways.

Aircraft parked on the Southern stands of the GA3 apron should be prepared to be instructed for straight-out taxi onto N without using one of the GAT exits.

777 parking positions

With the PMDG 777 release for MSFS, we suggest using the following parking positions for the best experience. Only the positions below are suitable for the B773/B77W.

9A (terminal position, push and pull procedure required)
24A, 26A, 28A (remote positions)
105, 106 (cargo)
71A, 74A (overflow positions)

A380 parking positions

While Stuttgart is technically equipped to handle A380 aircraft, it is only available as a diversion airport for the type in the real world. This means that only some remote overflow positions are large enough to park the aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Please only use the following stands when flying an A380 from/to Stuttgart airport:

71A, 74A

Handoffs

Auto-handoff

Stuttgart utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current departure frequency will always either be noted in the ATIS or part of your clearance.

Contact the departure frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDDS - Stuttgart

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Stuttgart on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

You can find current VFR charts for Stuttgart in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Stuttgart, we recommend openflightmaps.

Airport Scenery

The area around the GAT was recently reconstructed. ATC is usually aware of these changes, but will work under the assumption that everyone has the old layout in their scenery as there are currently none that have the updated layout.

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	MSFS World Update 6 GSX Profile	RDPresets EDDS GSX Profile
X-Plane 11	X-Plane Default Scenery	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDDS - Stuttgart

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will generally be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance.

SID assignment

Waypoint	Restrictions
DKB	only for flights continuing Northeast-bound via N869 or to destinations EDDN, EDTY, and EDQ*
ETASA	only to destinations EDDF, EDFC, EDFE, and ETOU
GEBNO	only for flights continuing North-bound via Z76 and with requested max. FL180
KRH	only to destinations EDDR, EDRZ, EDSB, ETAR, and ETIP; Monday through Friday only for flights with requested max. FL80
OKIBA	only for flights with requested min. FL200
ROTWE	if continuing via NATOR: only for jet aircraft
STG	only for local IFR training flights
SUL	if jet aircraft: only to destinations EDNY, EDTL, LSZH, and LSZR
TAGIK	only for flights continuing via ABUMO or ASKIK and with requested max. FL240
TEDGO	only for local IFR training flights or to destination ETHL

K-SIDs

SIDs with designator K are only assigned on pilot request and require special navigational capabilities.

If you would like to use the K-SID to your initial waypoint, inform ATC when requesting your clearance. Keep in mind that the general traffic situation might prevent the controller from clearing you via the K-SID.

Enroute Clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Stuttgart Delivery, Germanwings 6CG, stand 41, request clearance, information S.

All SIDs in Stuttgart are runway dependent, so ATC will not inform you of your departure runway as this is already clear from your SID assignment.

Datalink Clearance (DCL/PDC)

Stuttgart also offers electronic datalink clearances (also known as PDC or Pre-Departure Clearance) using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code is EDDS. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use easyCPDLC.

Startup

Pushback will not be issued by Delivery. Startup approval is not a clearance for pushback!

ACDM Procedures

Stuttgart employs ACDM procedures for efficient operations. This requires pilots to comply with assigned ACDM times. Please set your TOBT using the vACDM pilot interface to help the controllers with preplanning and reduce delays.

When there is delay during periods of high traffic, it is your responsibility to request startup during your TSAT window - don't rely on ATC to call you!

If you are unfamiliar with ACDM procedures, please read the vACDM pilot guide.

Pushback

Keep in mind that some positions on Stuttgart's apron are taxi-out stands. If you are parked on one of these taxi-out stands, you won't need a pushback.

If you are unsure about your pushback instruction or unable to comply for any reason, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Orange line pushback

Aircraft parked at positions 71 - 75 with a maximum wingspan of 36 m might be given a pushback clearance onto the orange line instead of taxiway N. This will allow other aircraft to still pass on N.

If the orange line is missing from your scenery or you are otherwise unable to comply with this pushback instruction, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Taxi

While Stuttgart's layout is relatively simple, it is still important to conduct a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance and request taxi in a timely manner after your pushback.

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Takeoff

Stuttgart has only one runway which needs to be used for both departures and arrivals. Especially during periods of high traffic it is important to begin your takeoff roll as soon as you receive your clearance and be prepared for immediate takeoff clearances. If you take too long, ATC will have to cancel your takeoff clearance and issue a go around for the arriving aircraft.

Visual departure

(Turbo-)Prop aircraft up to 5.7t MTOM should be prepared for Tower to ask them if they can accept a visual departure. This procedure involves flying an assigned heading once airborne while maintaining your own terrain clearance.

Only accept a visual departure if you feel confident that you can follow the instructions, otherwise you should reject the visual departure clearance.

Auto-handoff

Stuttgart utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current departure frequency will always either be noted in the ATIS or part of your clearance.

Contact the departure frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDDS - Stuttgart

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

You can expect to be assigned one of the RNAV transitions corresponding to the runway in use.

All RNAV transitions for Stuttgart have altitude restrictions. Make sure you comply with these unless they are explicitly cancelled by ATC.

Descent planning

ARSUT: FL130
BADLI: FL110
GEBNO: FL120
INKAM: FL130
LUPEN: FL130
LUPOL: FL130
TEKSI: FL110

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Stuttgart will usually be an ILS approach. During 07 operations, aircraft with an MTOM > 5.7t are not allowed to fly the non-precision approaches with exception of the RNP approach provided the weather is good enough.

Non-jet aircraft up to 5.7t MTOM may request a visual approach. If you want to fly such a visual approach, be prepared to receive special instructions on the routing and be familiar with the Stuttgart CTR.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 250 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

There is a restriction for maximum 250 KIAS below FL100 as the Stuttgart TMA is class D.

Landing

HIRO (High Intensity Runway Operations)

You should plan to use the following or earlier runway exits whenever possible.

Runway	Light (Jet) / Medium (Prop)	Medium (Jet)	Heavy
07	E	D	B
25	F	F	H

Taxi

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

EDDS - Stuttgart

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Stuttgart’s airspace and general traffic levels make the airport very friendly to VFR traffic in the real world. As this is similar on VATSIM, controllers will usually be able to accommodate VFR requests. However, the limited amount of space at Stuttgart can result in situations where some VFR requests might be denied during periods of high traffic.

Additionally, you should be prepared for the controller to instruct you to leave the control zone if the traffic load rises or you fail to comply with instructions promptly and accurately.

Airspace Structure

The Stuttgart CTR has a top altitude of 3500 ft MSL, about 2200 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH and your altitude to avoid inadvertently entering airspace C above.

The following mandatory reporting points exist around the airport:

Reporting point	Use	Location
W	Entry/Exit from/to the NW	highway intersection A8 and A81
E	Entry/Exit from/to the NE	between Fernsehturm Stuttgart and Fernmeldeturm Stuttgart
L	Exit to the SW 25 operations	Fernmeldeturm Waldenbuch/Dettenhausen
S	Entry from the S	Aichtalviadukt (B27)
O	Exit to the SE 07 operations	Neckarbrücke Nürtingen

Keep in mind that ATC might instruct you to use a different reporting point than the one you requested, if necessary.

Departure

VFR departures have to initially call Stuttgart Delivery.

During 07 operations, smaller aircraft can expect to be assigned intersection G. During 25 operations they can expect to be assigned intersection C.

Arrival

Contact Stuttgart Tower no later than 5 minutes before reaching your requested CTR entry point. Stuttgart has a VFR Tower; if this station is online, all VFR arrivals have to initially call 119.055.

Traffic circuits

Who to contact?

When multiple Tower stations are staffed, it might not be immediately obvious who you should contact. Please refer to the following table in such cases:

Intention	Frequency (contact topmost station online)
Outbound	121.915 (Stuttgart Delivery)
Inbound	119.055 (Stuttgart Tower)
Inbound	118.805 (Stuttgart Tower)

EDFH - Frankfurt Hahn

Departing Traffic

A380 parking positions

Frankfurt-Hahn does not serve A380 aircraft in the real world, but as an airport that regularly sees large cargo aircraft it has some cargo stands that are large enough to park the aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Please only use the following stands when flying an A380 from/to Frankfurt-Hahn airport:

411, 421, 431 (primary)
326, 331, 333, 451 (overflow positions)

Start-Up and Enroute (IFR) Clearance

In Germany you have to request “start-up” to get your IFR clearance. This does not include the pushback, therefore a separate approval is required!

Always check the current ATIS first!
Report Callsign, ATIS Information and request start-up and enroute clearance
Only request start-up when you are ready for pushback within the next 5 minutes
Clearance also available via Datalink (PDC/DCL via Hoppie ACARS System) - check Controller Info for Airport Code!
Valid routes out of Frankfurt/Hahn are available via grd.aero-nav.com. For more details check additional information at the end.
There are a number of different SID available for different performances, please report on initial contact if you are unable to comply with a climb restriction. Make sure you will always fly the assigned SID!

NOTE: The Controller may change your planned departure route due to operational reasons.

RYR123, Information A, request start-up and enroute clearance.

Pushback

Only ask for Pushback if you are able to start pushback immediately when receiving pushback approval! It might be possible that ATC will instruct you to do a specific routing for pushback (into a specific taxiway, push and then pull foreward, etc.). Always report when unable or if you do not understand the instruction!

Outbound traffic at Positions A1, A4, B1, B4 has to be pushed on taxiway A with facing NE or SW specified by ATC.

pushback from A1 on taxiway A

Intersection Departure

Runway 21 intersection take-off via taxiway E should be used whenever in performance parameters. Departing medium aircraft (max. B739/A321) should always expect intersection E. Report if unable before pushback!

Departure Frequency

Departing IFR traffic have to contact Langen Radar without separate instruction, immediately when airborne. You will always find the correct departure frequency in the ATIS!

EDFH - Frankfurt Hahn

Arriving Traffic

There is a 250KTS/FL100 restriction at EDFH within airspace E (more or less everywhere around the airport). Normal descent speeds are 250kt until instructed by ATC. As a general guidance on base you should be around 220kt, when cleared for the final approach between 200-180kt. Expect to cross the FAF/FAP between 200 -180kt and to maintain 170kt until 5 DME.

Expect RNAV Arrivals into EDFH. On downwind expect vectors to final, mostly shortly after passing abeam the FAF/FAP. Plan your descent accordingly! Maintain good speeds.

Traffic with WTC Heavy can vacate the runway only via taxiways F or E. When RWY 21 is in use, this traffic need to do a backtrack at the end of runway 21 and vacate via E. This will be approved by Tower after landing. The "turnpad south" between taxiway C and B2 may only be used for aircraft up to CAT D (B764/MD11).

backtrack at Hahn airport for heavy aircraft

EDFH - Frankfurt Hahn

Charts and Scenery

IFR Charts for Frankfurt-Hahn are available at https://chartfox.org/EDFH (Vatsim Login required).

VFR Charts are available for every airfield in Germany via https://www.vfraip.de/ (official DFS VFR AIP) or with less information at https://www.openflightmaps.org/ed-germany/.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	flightsim.to	simmarket.com
X-Plane	X-Plane Default Scenery	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	simmarket.com

EDFM - Mannheim City

General

Authorized Aircraft

The airport is not able to serve aircraft with an MTOW greater than 10.000 kg. The only exceptions to this rule are the following aircraft:

Dornier 328-100 (D328)
Dash 8-100 and -300 (DH8A, DH8C)
ATR 42-500 (AT45)
Falcon 50, 2000, and 900 EX/DX (FA50, F2TH, F900)
Challenger 300 (CL30)
Cessna 680 (C680)
Embraer Legacy 450 and 500 (E450, E500)

Please make sure you fly an appropriate aircraft as bigger aircraft might cause a lot of inconvenience to other users.

Mannheim/City is not equipped to handle A380 aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Parking Position

The main parking positions are stands 1 to 5. Airlines usually use one of the two parking positions directly in front of the terminal.

Smaller propeller aircraft may also use the grass parking area.

The apron to the east of taxiway A is mainly used for helicopters.

Do not use the fueling station to the east of taxiway A as a parking position.

EDFM - Mannheim City

Departing Traffic

IFR Clearance and Startup

Before requesting enroute clearance, make sure you have listened to the latest ATIS information. You can expect to receive your startup clearance together with your enroute clearance.

Datalink: Pilots able to use PDC/DCL may also request their enroute clearance digitally via the Hoppie CPDLC system. The logon code for datalink clearances at the airport is EDFM. Whether a controller offers PDC/DCL can be found in the controller info.

Taxi

All parking positions at the airport are taxi-out positions, so you shouldn’t need a pushback!

Only request taxi if you are able to start taxiing immediately upon receiving taxi clearance. Do not cross the runway without explicit clearance by Tower.

Takeoff

Contact the departure frequency stated in the ATIS immediately after takeoff. You will not receive a handoff from Tower!

EDFM - Mannheim City

Arriving Traffic

Approach

The airport only has instrument approaches for runway 27. You can expect the RNAV approach. If runway 09 is in use, IFR arrivals can expect a visual circling approach to the south of the field.

A straight in visual approach should not be attempted without approval from an approach controller as aircraft approaching the airport from different directions can cause conflicts.

Landing

After landing, vacate the runway via the earliest possible taxiway to the South.

If runway 09 is in use, aircraft unable to vacate the runway before or at B should vacate to the North via F.

Taxi

Parking stands 1 to 5 should be entered from the North to face South when parked.

Do not cross the runway without explicit clearance from the Tower!

EDFM - Mannheim City

VFR Traffic

General

The Mannheim CTR extends from ground level to 2000 ft MSL.

VFR traffic with an MTOW up to 5,700 kg may also use the grass runway north of the hard surface runway, as well as the grass taxiway G parallel to and west of taxiway A.

VFR traffic can be conducted in English or in German.

Traffic patterns at the airport will be conducted to the south of the field whenever possible. Pilots should avoid overflying the cities of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen, as well as the surrounding villages.

Startup

VFR traffic doesn’t require a startup clearance. Initial contact can be made when ready for taxi.

Departures

VFR departures can expect to leave the CTR via one of the five visual reporting points surrounding the CTR.

If runway 27 is in use, you should plan to leave the CTR via Romeo, Whiskey, or Sierra.
If runway 09 is in use, you should plan to leave the CTR via Kilo, Echo, or Sierra.

Arrival

VFR arrivals can expect to enter the CTR via one of the five visual reporting points surrounding the
CTR.

If runway 27 is in use, you should plan to enter the CTR via Kilo or Sierra.
If runway 09 is in use, you should plan to enter the CTR via Romeo.

Helicopters

In addition to the airport, there are two hospitals with helipads within the CTR as well as another hospital with two helipads just outside of the CTR.

The Theresienkrankenhaus is located in the city of Mannheim northwest of the field. The Klinikum Ludwigshafen is located west of the field. This hospital is also where the rescue helicopter Christoph 5 (CHX5) is based. The Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg is located to the east-southeast of the field just outside of the CTR.

EDFM - Mannheim City

Charts and Scenery

IFR Charts for Mannheim City Airport are available at https://chartfox.org/EDFM (Vatsim Login required).

VFR Charts are available for every airfield in Germany via https://www.vfraip.de/ (official DFS VFR AIP) or with less information at https://www.openflightmaps.org/ed-germany/.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	flightsim.to	--
X-Plane 11	forums.x-plane.org	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDLN - Mönchengladbach

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Mönchengladbach! This small airport primarily hosts private jets, business charters, and other general aviation aircraft. It is not big enough for airliner traffic except for some small regional turboprop aircraft.
Although the airport has a simple layout and low traffic levels on VATSIM, you should still prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM, Mönchengladbach can be a great airport to get used to more complex airspaces once you have gotten a bit more comfortable with flying on the network. It rarely gets very busy, so making smaller mistakes will usually not have a negative impact on anybody else's experience on the network, at least on the ground; but the airport's location within the Köln/Düsseldorf TMA, Germany's most complex airspace, as well as its CTR's border with the Düsseldorf CTR leave little room for navigational errors or altitude busts. Additionally, when flying IFR, you may experience busier frequencies during departure and arrival and should already be experienced enough to be comfortable with these frequencies.

ATIS

Mönchengladbach's ATIS is broadcast from the Mönchengladbach VOR in the real world. Due to limitations with VATSIM's audio system, implementing such VOR-hosted ATISes is currently not possible. Thus, the fictional frequency 121.815 is used on VATSIM instead of the one you will find on your charts.

Parking position

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Most business jets and turboprops park on the main apron in front of the Tower or on the commercial apron in the Southwest.
Smaller general aviation aircraft will usually park inside or in front of the hangars.
Maintenance flights will often park North of the runway.

Mönchengladbach is not equipped to handle A380 aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Non-movement area

Mönchengladbach is one of the very rare airports in Germany which have non-movement areas on its apron. Only taxiways A, B, C, D, and F as well as the main apron in front of the Tower are controlled. Pilots are allowed to taxi without clearance in the non-movement area, e.g. to taxi from the hangar to the run-up area. However, before initiating movement toward the movement area and before entering the movement area, you are still required to acquire a taxi clearance from ATC.
When you receive a taxi clearance into the movement area while you are in the non-movement area, you are expected to reach the first cleared taxiway on the shortest way possible; likewise when cleared to a parking position in the non-movement area, you are expected to take the shortest path between the last cleared taxiway and your parking position.

EDLN Ground AoR.png
only areas on the runway side of the red line are controlled

Handoffs

Be aware that some frequencies in use might not be shown in the controller list of your pilot client, so it is important that you listen carefully to what ATC says.

Auto-handoff

Mönchengladbach utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. As the airborne frequency changes depending on the operating direction and staffed positions at Düsseldorf, it will always be given to you by the Ground controller during your enroute clearance; should the frequency change again before you depart, ATC will advise you of the updated airborne frequency.

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDLN - Mönchengladbach

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Mönchengladbach on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

You can find current VFR charts for Mönchengladbach in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Mönchengladbach, we recommend openflightmaps.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	flightsim.to	--
X-Plane 11	X-Plane Default Scenery	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDLN - Mönchengladbach

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will generally be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance.

SID assignment

Waypoint	Restrictions
GMH	only for flights with requested max. FL140
KUMIK	only for flights with requested min. FL150
SONEB	only for flights with with requested min. FL140 and via RKN or TENLI

Enroute Clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Mönchengladbach Ground, Brilliant 1009, stand A3, request enroute clearance, information M.

Datalink Clearance (DCL)

Mönchengladbach also offers electronic datalink clearances (also known as PDC or Pre-Departure Clearance) on VATSIM using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code is EDLN. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use easyCPDLC.

Startup

Startup approval is the "go" from the controller's side to start your engines. It is also an assurance that you will be cleared to start moving within the next 20 minutes.

Pushback

Pushback is not required as all stands at Mönchengladbach are taxi-out positions.

Taxi

While Mönchengladbach's layout is relatively simple, it is still important to conduct a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance and request taxi in a timely manner after your pushback.

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Takeoff

Mönchengladbach has only one runway which needs to be used for both departures and arrivals. While there is usually not too much other traffic, it is still important to begin your takeoff roll as soon as you receive your clearance and be prepared for immediate takeoff clearances, especially because Mönchengladbach procedures conflict with Düsseldorf procedures and there may only be a small gap to accommodate your departure. If you take too long, ATC might have to cancel your takeoff clearance and issue a go around for an arriving aircraft.

Auto-handoff

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDLN - Mönchengladbach

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

You can usually expect not to fly your entire STAR and instead to get radar vectors.

Descent planning

ARPEG: FL250
EKSAK: FL260
RASVO: FL200
TEBRO: FL170
NVO: FL70

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Mönchengladbach will usually be an ILS approach.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 250 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

There is no restriction for maximum 250 KIAS below FL100 as the Köln/Düsseldorf TMA, which covers Mönchengladbach, is class C.

Taxi

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

EDLN - Mönchengladbach

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Mönchengladbach’s airspace and general traffic levels make the airport very friendly to VFR traffic in the real world. As this is similar on VATSIM, controllers will usually be able to accommodate VFR requests. However, pilots should keep the airport's location within the Köln/Düsseldorf TMA, Germany's most complex airspace, as well as its direct border to the Düsseldorf CTR in mind.

Airspace Structure

CTR

The Mönchengladbach CTR has a top altitude of 2000 ft MSL, about 1800 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH and your altitude to avoid inadvertently entering airspace C above.

The following mandatory reporting points exist around the airport:

Reporting point	Use	Location
G	Entry/Exit from/to the S	industrial district Giesenkirchen-Nord
K1	Entry/Exit from/to the N on K route	quarry lake Kempen
K2	Entry/Exit from/to the N on K route	roundabout NW of St. Tönis
M	Entry/Exit from/to the NE	DHL distribution center Krefeld
R	Entry from the SW	highway A61 exit Wickrath
W	Entry/Exit from/to the W	highway intersection A52/A61

Keep in mind that ATC might instruct you to use a different reporting point than the one you requested, if necessary.

Departure & Arrival

The maximum altitude for all departures and arrivals is 2000 ft AMSL.

Traffic circuit

Mönchengladbach has a recommended (albeit not mandatory) traffic circuit in the North and in the South. Pilots should follow these circuits whenever no contrary instruction has been given by ATC. More information can be found on the airport's website. The Northern circuit is at an altitude of 1200ft AMSL, the Southern circuit is at an altitude of 1100ft AMSL.

© openflightmaps.org

EDLP - Paderborn/Lippstadt

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Paderborn/Lippstadt! This small airport primarily hosts airline flights from or to holiday destinations and other German cities. Among VFR pilots, it is a favorite due to its relatively simple airspace structure and airport layout and is frequently used for training flights.
Although the airport has a simple layout and low traffic levels on VATSIM, you should still prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM, Paderborn/Lippstadt is a perfect airport to get started on the network. Controllers will almost always have enough spare capacity to answer questions or quickly explain a procedure to you. It rarely gets very busy, so making smaller mistakes will usually not have a negative impact on anybody else's experience on the network.

Parking position

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Passenger flights use parking positions 1 thru 6, with stands 4, 5, and 6 being the primarily used ones. Heavy aircraft can only park at stand 2A.
General aviation aircraft park at stands 7 thru 14 or at the hangars in the Southwest, with stands 8 thru 14 being the primarily used ones. In the real world, the hangars in the Southwest are only used by aircraft belonging to one of the flying clubs operating out of the airport.

Stands 1, 2, 2A, 3, 4, 5, and 6 require a pushback. All other stands are taxi-out positions.

Paderborn/Lippstadt is not equipped to handle A380 aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Handoffs

Be aware that some frequencies in use might not be shown in the controller list of your pilot client, so it is important that you listen carefully to what ATC says.

Auto-handoff

Paderborn/Lippstadt utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current airborne frequency will always be noted in the ATIS.

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDLP - Paderborn/Lippstadt

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Paderborn/Lippstadt on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

You can find current VFR charts for Paderborn/Lippstadt in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Paderborn/Lippstadt, we recommend openflightmaps.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	Aerosoft (available in the Marketplace) GSX Profile	--
X-Plane 11/12	X-Plane Default Scenery	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDLP - Paderborn/Lippstadt

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will generally be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance.

SID assignment

If there is no SID leading to the first waypoint of your flight plan, please check which AIRAC you are using - if your AIRAC cycle is too outdated, it might take some time until the controllers can coordinate a solution for you. There are no restrictions on the usability of the different SIDs.

Enroute Clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Paderborn Ground, Lufthansa 1AR, stand 6, request enroute clearance, information P.

Datalink Clearance (DCL)

Paderborn/Lippstadt also offers electronic datalink clearances (also known as PDC or Pre-Departure Clearance) on VATSIM using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code is EDLP. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use easyCPDLC.

Startup

Pushback

Keep in mind that some positions on Paderborn/Lippstadt's apron are taxi-out stands. If you are parked on one of these taxi-out stands, you won't need a pushback.

If you are unsure about your pushback instruction or unable to comply for any reason, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Taxi

While Paderborn/Lippstadt's layout is relatively simple, it is still important to conduct a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance and request taxi in a timely manner after your pushback.

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Takeoff

Paderborn/Lippstadt has only one runway which needs to be used for both departures and arrivals. While there is usually not too much other traffic, it is still important to begin your takeoff roll as soon as you receive your clearance and be prepared for immediate takeoff clearances. If you take too long, ATC might have to cancel your takeoff clearance and issue a go around for an arriving aircraft.

Auto-handoff

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDLP - Paderborn/Lippstadt

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

You can usually expect not to fly out your STAR and instead to get radar vectors. However, you should be prepared to fly the STAR followed by a standard approach via the Paderborn/Lippstadt NDB (PAD).

Descent planning

ARPEG: FL110
BAMSU: FL160
EXOBA: FL70
PADBA: FL130
SODNA: FL110

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Paderborn/Lippstadt will usually be an ILS approach.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 250 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

There is a restriction for maximum 250 KIAS below FL100 as the Paderborn/Lippstadt TMA is class E (with a TMZ below FL60).

Taxi

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

EDLP - Paderborn/Lippstadt

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Paderborn/Lippstadt’s airspace and general traffic levels make the airport very friendly to VFR traffic in the real world. As this is similar on VATSIM, controllers will usually be able to accommodate VFR requests. However, the limited amount of space at Paderborn/Lippstadt can result in situations where some VFR requests might be denied during periods of high traffic.

Airspace Structure

CTR

The Paderborn/Lippstadt CTR has a top altitude of 2500 ft MSL, about 1800 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH and your altitude to avoid inadvertently entering the TMZ above.

The following mandatory reporting points exist around the airport:

Reporting point	Restriction	Location
E	--	model airfield Salzkotten
H	--	valley West of Henglarn
K	--	highway A44 between limestone quarries between Erwitte and Anröchte
N	--	industrial district Geseke
S	to be crossed between 2200ft and 2500ft not available for SVFR	highway intersection A33 and A44
W1	--	former Büren prison
W2	--	Leiberg sports facilities

Keep in mind that ATC might instruct you to use a different reporting point than the one you requested, if necessary.

TMZ

The Paderborn/Lippstadt TMA is class E with a transponder mandatory zone reaching up to FL60. All VFR aircraft inside the TMZ have to squawk 6102 and monitor 125.225.

Even when no dedicated controller is covering 125.225, you still have to set the squawk and monitor the frequency. During top down service at Paderborn/Lippstadt, most controllers will use 125.225 as a secondary frequency and even if they don't, they can quickly activate it if they need to speak to you.

EDLV - Niederrhein

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Niederrhein! This small airport primarily hosts Ryanair flights from or to various other European cities, including some holiday destinations, as well as occasional military traffic. Among VFR pilots, it is a favorite due to the low levels of scheduled traffic and simple airport layout, but pilots need to be wary as Niederrhein's CTR is located partially within Dutch territory.
Although the airport has a simple layout and low traffic levels on VATSIM, you should still prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM, Niederrhein is a perfect airport to get started on the network. Controllers will almost always have enough spare capacity to answer questions or quickly explain a procedure to you. It rarely gets very busy, so making smaller mistakes will usually not have a negative impact on anybody else's experience on the network. When flying IFR, however, you may experience busier frequencies during departure and arrival due to the neighboring Köln/Düsseldorf TMA and should already be comfortable enough with these frequencies.

Parking position

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Passenger flights use parking positions 1 thru 9.
General aviation aircraft park at GA Terminal 1 and GA Terminal 2.

The maximum aircraft size at Niederrhein is code C (Medium aircraft) and parking positions for larger aircraft are not available.

Niederrhein is not equipped to handle A380 aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Handoffs

Be aware that some frequencies in use might not be shown in the controller list of your pilot client, so it is important that you listen carefully to what ATC says.

Auto-handoff

Niederrhein utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current airborne frequency will always be noted in the ATIS.

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDLV - Niederrhein

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Niederrhein on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

You can find current VFR charts for Niederrhein in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Niederrhein, we recommend openflightmaps.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	flightsim.to \| GSX Profile	--
X-Plane 11	X-Plane Default Scenery	x-plane.org
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDLV - Niederrhein

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon when available, as those will generally be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance.

SID assignment

Waypoint	Restrictions
SONEB	only for flights with requested min. FL140

Enroute Clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Niederrhein Tower, Ryanair 7XQ, stand 4, request enroute clearance, information N.

Datalink Clearance (DCL)

In contrast to the real world, on Vatsim we offer datalink clearance (DCL/PDC) at Niederrhein using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code is EDLV. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use easyCPDLC.

Startup

Pushback

Keep in mind that some all positions on Niederrhein's apron except for stands 1 thru 9 are taxi-out stands. If you are parked on one of these taxi-out stands, you won't need a pushback.

If you are unsure about your pushback instruction or unable to comply for any reason, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Taxi

While Niederrhein's layout is relatively simple, it is still important to conduct a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance and request taxi in a timely manner after your pushback.

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Takeoff

Niederrhein has only one runway which needs to be used for both departures and arrivals. While there is usually not too much other traffic, it is still important to begin your takeoff roll as soon as you receive your clearance and be prepared for immediate takeoff clearances. If you take too long, ATC might have to cancel your takeoff clearance and issue a go around for an arriving aircraft.

Intersection departures are not possible at Niederrhein. All aircraft have to depart from full length.

Auto-handoff

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDLV - Niederrhein

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

You can usually expect not to fly out your STAR and instead to get radar vectors. However, you should be prepared to fly the STAR followed by a standard approach via the Niederrhein NDB (LAA) or - during 09 operations - a standard approach via the Lima NDB (LMA) or the SOBTU waypoint.

Descent planning

ARPEG: FL250
DENOV: FL250
EKSAK: FL260
ENUGA: FL240
IBESA: FL250
KOGES: FL250
NAZAF: FL120
PODAT: FL250
PODEN: FL250
ROMIN: FL230
TEBRO: FL170

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Niederrhein will usually be an ILS approach during 27 operations and an RNP approach during 09 operations.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 250 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

There is a restriction for maximum 250 KIAS below FL100 as the Niederrhein TMA is class E (with a TMZ below FL65) over German territory and partly class E (with class B above FL95) over Dutch territory.

Landing

Unless otherwise instructed by ATC, pilots shall always vacate the runway to the South. Pilots of aircraft with code letter D or higher must vacate the runway at the end as all runway exits in-between are only approved up to code letter C.

When vacating to the North, pilots of aircraft with code letter C or higher must vacate the runway at the end as all runway exits in-between are only approved up to code letter B.

Taxi

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

EDLV - Niederrhein

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Niederrhein’s airspace and general traffic levels make the airport very friendly to VFR traffic in the real world. As this is similar on VATSIM, controllers will usually be able to accommodate VFR requests. However, the limited amount of space at Niederrhein and its proximity to Dutch territory can result in situations where some VFR requests might be denied, especially during periods of high traffic. Pilots should also keep the airport's vicinity to the Köln/Düsseldorf TMA, Germany's most complex airspace, in mind.

Airspace Structure

CTR

The Niederrhein CTR has a top altitude of 3000 ft MSL, about 2900 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH and your altitude to avoid inadvertently entering the TMA above.

The following mandatory reporting points exist around the airport - it is not possible to enter or exit the CTR on the Dutch side:

Reporting point	Use	Location	Restrictions
N	Entry/Exit from/to the N	intersection highway A57/motorway B67	max. 2500 ft
S	Entry/Exit from/to the S	garden centers North of Lüllingen	max. 2500 ft

Keep in mind that ATC might instruct you to use a different reporting point than the one you requested, if necessary.

TMZ

The Niederrhein TMA is partly class E with a partial transponder mandatory zone reaching up to FL65. All VFR aircraft inside the TMZ have to squawk 6101 and monitor 119.110.

Even when no dedicated controller is covering 119.110, you still have to set the squawk and monitor the frequency. During top down service at Niederrhein, most controllers will use 119.110 as a secondary frequency and even if they don't, they can quickly activate it if they need to speak to you.

EDLW - Dortmund

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Dortmund! This small airport primarily hosts airline flights from or to Eastern European cities and also some holiday destinations. Among VFR pilots, it is a favorite due to the low levels of scheduled traffic and simple airport layout, but pilots need to be wary as Dortmund is located partially below the Köln/Düsseldorf TMA, Germany's most complex airspace.
Although the airport has a simple layout and low traffic levels on VATSIM, you should still prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM, Dortmund is a perfect airport to get started on the network. Controllers will almost always have enough spare capacity to answer questions or quickly explain a procedure to you. It rarely gets very busy, so making smaller mistakes will usually not have a negative impact on anybody else's experience on the network. When flying IFR, however, you may experience busier frequencies during departure and arrival and should already be experienced enough to be comfortable with these frequencies.

Parking position

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Passenger flights use parking positions 0 thru 12.
General aviation aircraft park at stands B2 thru B6 or other positions on the elevated GAT in the West of the airport.

Stands 0 thru 4 require a pushback whereas stands 5 thru 12 are used as nose-out parking positions so outbounds don't need a pushback but inbounds require a push-in. Controllers are aware that not all simulators and/or sceneries support the required functionalities, but will generally assume that pilots are parked nose-out but unable for push-in.

Dortmund is not equipped to handle A380 aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Handoffs

Be aware that some frequencies in use might not be shown in the controller list of your pilot client, so it is important that you listen carefully to what ATC says.

Auto-handoff

Dortmund utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current airborne frequency will always be noted in the ATIS.

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDLW - Dortmund

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Dortmund on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

You can find current VFR charts for Dortmund in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Dortmund, we recommend openflightmaps.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	Bahrometrix \| GSX Profile	--
X-Plane 11/12	X-Plane Default Scenery	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDLW - Dortmund

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will generally be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance.

SID assignment

If there is no SID leading to the first waypoint of your flight plan, please check which AIRAC you are using - if your AIRAC cycle is too outdated, it might take some time until the controllers can coordinate a solution for you. There are no restrictions on the usability of the different SIDs.

Enroute Clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Dortmund Ground, Wizz Air 436, stand 4, request enroute clearance, information D.

Datalink Clearance (DCL)

Dortmund also offers electronic datalink clearances (also known as PDC or Pre-Departure Clearance) on VATSIM using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code is EDLW. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use easyCPDLC.

Startup

Pushback

Keep in mind that some positions on Dortmund's apron are taxi-out stands. If you are parked on one of these taxi-out stands, you won't need a pushback.

If you are unsure about your pushback instruction or unable to comply for any reason, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

On stands 5 thru 12, let ATC know whether you are parked nose-in or nose-out when requesting pushback or taxi.

Taxi

While Dortmund's layout is relatively simple, it is still important to conduct a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance and request taxi in a timely manner after your pushback.

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Takeoff

Dortmund has only one runway which needs to be used for both departures and arrivals. While there is usually not too much other traffic, it is still important to begin your takeoff roll as soon as you receive your clearance and be prepared for immediate takeoff clearances. If you take too long, ATC might have to cancel your takeoff clearance and issue a go around for an arriving aircraft.

Auto-handoff

Dortmund utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current airborne frequency will always be noted in the ATIS.

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDLW - Dortmund

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

You can usually expect not to fly out your STAR and instead to get radar vectors. However, you should be prepared to fly the STAR followed by a standard approach via the Wickede VOR (DOR).

Descent planning

ARPEG: FL110
BAMSU: FL160
BADGO: FL140
DOMEG: FL80
ESADU: FL160
OSN: FL160
PADBA: FL70
SODNA: FL110
10NM before TINSA: FL140

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Dortmund will usually be an ILS approach.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 250 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

There is a restriction for maximum 250 KIAS below FL100 as the Dortmund TMA is partly class D and partly class E (with a TMZ below FL65).

Landing

Especially when landing on runway 24, pilots have to be aware of the restriction on the use of taxiway B. This taxiway is only available for aircraft up to 30t MTOM. Heavier aircraft must vacate via taxiway A.

Taxi

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Parking

Stands 5 thru 12 are nose-out parking stands. This requires a push-in procedure for all arriving aircraft assigned to one of these stands.

Not all simulators and/or addons support push-in procedures. If you are unable for a push-in procedure, please inform ATC when you are assigned one the mentioned parking positions.

EDLW - Dortmund

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Dortmund’s airspace and general traffic levels make the airport very friendly to VFR traffic in the real world. As this is similar on VATSIM, controllers will usually be able to accommodate VFR requests. However, the limited amount of space at Dortmund can result in situations where some VFR requests might be denied during periods of high traffic. Pilots should also keep the airport's vicinity to the Köln/Düsseldorf TMA, Germany's most complex airspace, in mind.

Airspace Structure

CTR

The Dortmund CTR has a top altitude of 2500 ft MSL, about 2000 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH and your altitude to avoid inadvertently entering airspace D above.

The following mandatory reporting points exist around the airport:

Reporting point	Use	Location
E	Entry from the S 24 operations Exit to the S 06 operations	Ruhr bridge at Ardey and Dellwig
N	Entry from the N 24 operations Exit to the N 06 operations	highway A2 ramp Kamen
S	Entry from the S 06 operations Exit to the S 24 operations	Ruhr bridge at Geisecke
W	Entry from the N 06 operations Exit to the N 24 operations	lake Lanstroper See / garbage dump Welge

Keep in mind that ATC might instruct you to use a different reporting point than the one you requested, if necessary.

Airspace D

The Dortmund TMA is partly class D, directly above the CTR, reaching up to 4500ft. All aircraft intending to enter this part of the TMA require a clearance from the responsible controller.

TMZ

The Dortmund TMA is partly class E with a partial transponder mandatory zone reaching up to FL65. All VFR aircraft inside the TMZ have to squawk 6102 and monitor 125.225.

Even when no dedicated controller is covering 125.225, you still have to set the squawk and monitor the frequency. During top down service at Dortmund, most controllers will use 125.225 as a secondary frequency and even if they don't, they can quickly activate it if they need to speak to you.

EDSB - Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden

Departing Traffic

Parking Position

Airliners use Apron 2. Parking positions 18 to 27 are available for aircraft up to 36 m wingspan. Aircraft with a wingspan between 36 and 52 m need to use parking positions 18A or 19A. Aircraft with a wingspan greater than 52 m park parallel to taxiway S between parking positions 18 and 21. Business jets and similar aircraft use Apron 3.

General Aviation aircraft use Apron 4.

Do not use the North de-icing pad (might be called Apron 1 in your simulator) as a parking position.

Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden is not equipped to handle A380 aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

IFR Clearance and Startup

Before requesting enroute clearance, make sure you have listened to the latest ATIS information. You can expect to receive your startup clearance together with your enroute clearance.

Datalink: Pilots able to use PDC/DCL may also request their enroute clearance digitally via the Hoppie CPDLC system. The logon code fordatalink clearances at the airport is EDSB. Whether a controller offers PDC/DCL can be found in the controller info.

Taxi

All parking positions at the airport are taxi-out positions, so you don't need a pushback. Only request taxi if you are able to start taxiing immediately upon receiving taxi clearance.

If you are able for an intersection departure, you should inform the Ground controller which intersection you are able to depart from when requesting taxi clearance.

Make sure you stop taxiing before the runway holding points. The holding points for full length departure are placed before the turn.

Takeoff

Contact the departure frequency stated in the ATIS immediately after takeoff. You will not receive a handoff from the Tower.

EDSB - Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden

Arriving Traffic

Approach

Primary ILS approaches are used. Only runway 21 is available for low visibility landings.

Parts of the IFR profiles are within Class E airspace, so you should watch out for VFR traffic unknown to ATC!

Landing

After landing, vacate the runway via the earliest available taxiway.

Do not mistake Baden-Oos 3 NM east of EDSB with Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden when performing visual approaches!

Taxi

You can expect Tower to instruct you to continue taxi onto G.

Contact Baden Ground only after hand off by Tower.

Parking positions on Apron 4 should be entered from the East to face West when parked.

EDSB - Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden

VFR Traffic

General

The Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden CTR extends from ground level to 2500 ft MSL.

VFR traffic can be conducted in English or in German.

Aircraft with an MTOW greater than 5,700 kg in the east traffic pattern need to fly at a minimum pattern altitude of 2000 ft MSL and have to remain west of the highway A5.

Traffic in the pattern at Baden-Oos (EDTB) has to remain below 1600 ft MSL, but does not have to contact Baden Tower. Especially inbounds to EDSB via Romeo need to take care about that.

Taxi

VFR traffic doesn’t require a startup clearance. Initial contact can be made when ready for taxi.

Departure

VFR departures should plan to leave the CTR via Bravo, Echo, November, Romeo or Sierra.

Arrival

VFR arrivals should plan to enter the CTR via Bravo, Romeo, or Whiskey.

Helicopters

The airport has a helipad located in the South located northwest of Apron 4 between taxiways G and Z. Do not connect on the helipad.

The German police as well as the Luftrettung have helicopter hangars at the airport. The police hangar is located just east of taxiway M. It is the west-most hangar on the North of the taxiway.

The Luftrettung hangar is located east of taxiway Z between Apron 3 and Apron 4, and can be reached via taxiway P.

EDSB - Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden

Charts and Scenery

IFR Charts for Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport are available at https://chartfox.org/EDSB (Vatsim Login required).

VFR Charts are available for every airfield in Germany via https://www.vfraip.de/ (official DFS VFR AIP) or with less information at https://www.openflightmaps.org/ed-germany/.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	--	Aerosoft
X-Plane 11	forums.x-plane.org	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDTL - Lahr

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Lahr! This small airport primarily hosts cargo flights for the adjacent industrial area, but also sees occasional charter and business jet flights. Additionally, the nearby Europa-Park Rust, a popular theme park, attracts regular traffic. Among VFR pilots, it is a favorite due to its simple airspace structure and airport layout.
Although the airport has a relatively simple layout and low traffic levels on VATSIM, you should still prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM, Lahr is a perfect airport to get started on the network. Controllers will almost always have enough spare capacity to answer questions or quickly explain a procedure to you. It rarely gets very busy, so making smaller mistakes will usually not have a negative impact on anybody else's experience on the network.

Parking position

All traffic parks at the main apron. There are no dedicated parking positions, but pilots should make sure that the apron taxiway remains free for other traffic.

Lahr is not equipped to handle A380 aircraft. To maintain realism and prevent inconveniences for controllers and other pilots, we ask pilots to choose a different airport when flying the A380.

Handoffs

Be aware that some frequencies in use might not be shown in the controller list of your pilot client, so it is important that you listen carefully to what ATC says.

Auto-handoff

Lahr utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the approach controller. The current airborne frequency will always be given by the Tower controller.

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDTL - Lahr

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current IFR charts for Lahr on chartfox (requires VATSIM login).

You can find current VFR charts for Lahr in the AIP VFR.
For a better overview over the airspace structure around Lahr, we recommend openflightmaps.

Airport Scenery

Sim	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	--	--
X-Plane	--	--
Prepare3D V4/V5	--	--

EDTL - Lahr

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will generally be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance.

SID assignment

If there is no SID leading to the first waypoint of your flight plan, please check which AIRAC you are using - if your AIRAC cycle is too outdated, it might take some time until the controllers can coordinate a solution for you. There are no restrictions on the usability of the different SIDs.

Enroute Clearance

Clearance requests in Germany are very short. Please avoid unnecessarily long clearance requests to reduce frequency congestion.

Pilot: Lahr Tower, Avanti Air 130H, request enroute clearance.

As Lahr has no ATIS, ATC will give you some basic weather information together with your enroute clearance. If you require a full weather report, it has to be specifically requested.

Pilot: Lahr Tower, Avanti Air 130H, request enroute clearance and weather information.

Datalink Clearance (DCL)

Lahr also offers electronic datalink clearances (also known as PDC or Pre-Departure Clearance) on VATSIM using the Hoppie ACARS system. The station code is EDTL. If your aircraft does not have a direct integration of the Hoppie system, you can also use easyCPDLC.

Startup

Pushback

Pushback is not required as all stands at Lahr are taxi-out positions.

Taxi

While Lahr's layout is relatively simple, it is still important to conduct a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance.

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

Takeoff

Lahr has only one runway which needs to be used for both departures and arrivals. While there is usually not too much other traffic, it is still important to begin your takeoff roll as soon as you receive your clearance and be prepared for immediate takeoff clearances. If you take too long, ATC might have to cancel your takeoff clearance and issue a go around for an arriving aircraft.

Auto-handoff

Contact the airborne frequency immediately when airborne unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

EDTL - Lahr

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

STAR assignment

You can usually expect not to fly out your STAR and instead to get radar vectors. However, you should be prepared to fly the STAR followed by a standard approach via the Lahr NDB (LHR), the Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden NDB (KBA), or the Sulz VOR (SUL).

Descent planning

BADLI: FL110
GEBDA: FL110
LOKTA: FL140
REUTL: FL90

Approach

Approach procedures

The approach into Lahr will usually be an ILS approach during 21 operations and an RNP approach during 03 operations.

Speeds

Pilots should plan the following speeds. Keep in mind that ATC instructions always take precedent.

Descent phase: 250 - 300 KIAS
Base: 220 KIAS
Turn to final: 180 - 200 KIAS

There is a restriction for maximum 250 KIAS below FL100 as the Lahr TMA is class E over German territory and partly class E (as well as partly class D within the adjacent Strasbourg TMA) over French territory.

Taxi

If you are unsure about your taxi instructions, hold position and inform ATC immediately.

EDTL - Lahr

VFR Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Lahr’s airspace and general traffic levels make the airport very friendly to VFR traffic in the real world. As this is similar on VATSIM, controllers will usually be able to accommodate VFR requests. However, the limited amount of space at Lahr and its proximity to French territory can result in situations where some VFR requests might be denied, especially during periods of high traffic.

Airspace Structure

CTR

The Lahr CTR has a top altitude of 2500 ft MSL, about 2000 ft AGL. Please pay close attention to setting the correct QNH.

The following mandatory reporting points exist around the airport:

Reporting point	Use	Location
E	Entry/Exit from/to the East	B415 between Kuhbach and Reichenbach
O1	Entry/Exit from/to the North (Oscar route)	B33 exit Gengenbach
O2	Entry/Exit from/to the North (Oscar route)	fields between Oberschopfheim and Oberweier
S1	Entry/Exit from/to the South (Sierra route)	Rhine river mouth Dornskopf
S2	Entry/Exit from/to the South (Sierra route)	Rhine passing Nonnenweier
W	Entry/Exit from/to the West	quarry lake Meißenheim

Keep in mind that ATC might instruct you to use a different reporting point than the one you requested, if necessary.

There is a published VFR holdings on either side of the runway.

LF-R199 Neuhof

Directly West of the CTR in French territory is the Neuhof restricted area between 2500 and 4500 ft MSL. This area is used for glider activities at the nearby French airfield of Strasbourg-Neuhof (LFGC) and shall be avoided by pilots.

Strasbourg TMA

Within French territory just West of the CTR is the Strasbourg TMA comprised of class D and restricted airspace.

ETNN - Nörvenich

General

Before you fly...

Welcome to Nörvenich! This air base is located within one of the most complex airspaces in Germany, just West of Köln/Bonn airport. It is home to the German Air Force's 31^st tactical air wing and one of the German Army's search and rescue helicopters, SAR41.
The air base is not used for civilian purposes, it is a pure military air base. Because of this, you should expect controllers to apply military procedures and phraseology. Although the air base has a relatively simple layout, due to the military procedures and complex airspace structure in this area, you should still prepare yourself thoroughly to keep it fun for everyone and avoid mistakes which might lead to delays for yourself and other users.

If you are new to VATSIM or not familiar with military procedures, you might want to avoid the air base until you have become more familiar with military aviation. While the air base is usually not very busy on VATSIM, it might be used by vSOAs for military operations, which may prohibit use of the airspace surrounding it for other pilots, especially if they are simulating civilian flights.

Parking Positions

Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.

Eurofighters of the 31^st tactical air wing usually park at one of the hangars in the Southeast.
Tornados of the 33^rd tactical air wing and other aircraft normally stationed at Büchel air base (which is currently closed due to construction work) usually park in one of the shelter loops North of the runways.
SAR41 is parked next to the helipad in the Southeast.

Communication

Military communication

Controllers at Nörvenich air base will utilize military phraseology, which may differ significantly from what you are used to from civilian flying. Anyone staffing Nörvenich Tower or Nörvenich Radar is required to be familiar with this phraseology and will expect pilots to be as well; however, controllers covering these positions topdown are currently not required to take the military controller course and might thus not be familiar with military phraseology. Nevertheless, you as the pilot should always expect to be confronted with military phraseology.

Handoffs

ETNN - Nörvenich

Charts & Scenery

Charts

You can find current charts for all procedures at Nörvenich in the German MILAIS.

For a better overview over the airspace structure around Köln/Bonn, we recommend openflightmaps.

Airport Scenery

Please inform ATC immediately if you are unable to comply with an instruction due to an outdated scenery.

Simulator	Freeware	Payware
MSFS	flightsim.to	-
X-Plane	xplane.org	-
Prepare3D V4/V5	-	-

ETNN - Nörvenich

Departing Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Preparation

A thorough preparation is important for any flight. We ask you to conduct a thorough briefing to avoid delays and keep it fun for everyone.

Route planning

You can find valid routes for many destinations in the AeroNav Global Route Database.

When planning a route via SimBrief, please use routes with the Eurocontrol icon, as those will generally be valid.

When filing an invalid flight plan, you will usually have to file a completely new flight plan before ATC can issue your enroute clearance.

Taxi

No startup clearance is required for operational air traffic. Pilots may make their initial call when ready for taxi. Pushbacks are not required from any position.
Other traffic requires a normal startup clearance.

While Nörvenich's layout is relatively simple, it is still important to conduct a thorough briefing of expected taxi routes as well as correct taxiing. To avoid delays for yourself and other users, start taxiing as soon as possible after receiving your taxi clearance.

Enroute Clearance

Unlike at civilian airports, pilots departing Nörvenich under IFR will usually receive their enroute clearance during taxi or at the last chance area. Pilots can expect to be cleared via an OID followed by radar vectors or a direct to an initial waypoint.

OIDs differ from the SIDs you might be used to from civilian flying. Please make sure you are familiar with the concept before flying from Nörvenich.

Takeoff

ATC will never assume you are ready for departure. To receive your lineup and takeoff clearance, you are required to report ready for departure. Only use the absolute minimum amount of time necessary on the runway before beginning your takeoff roll. If you take too long, ATC will have to cancel your takeoff clearance and potentially issue a go around for another aircraft.

Formation departures have to first request lineup and then report ready for departure once all elements are lined up and ready for departure.

Instrument departures

When departing under IFR, follow your enroute clearance and contact the departure frequency when advised by Tower.

Visual departures

Military fighter jets are required to depart using one of the four jet departure routes. These aircraft are prohibited from climbing above 1000ft before reaching the departure end of the runway and shall climb up to 2500ft thereafter if weather permits.
SAR helicopters are required to depart using one of the three SAR helicopter exit routes. These routes are not available for any other traffic than SAR helicopters.
Any other traffic is required to depart using one of the standard departure routes. Jet aircraft may only utilize the Northern pattern after departure.

Reporting Point	Location
N	forest Hambacher Forst
S	roundabout L33 and L264
E1	rail bridge over A61
E2	highway A1 West of Bliesheim
Exit North	rail bridge over A61
Exit East	intersection L265 and A1
Exit South	roundabout L33 and L264
Exit West	parallel highway A4 and rail tracks split up

ETNN - Nörvenich

Arriving Traffic

We ask all pilots to also read the General section with information relevant to all pilots.

Arrival

Descent planning

To avoid having to fly unnecessarily long finals, pilots should plan to cross 25 DME NVO no higher than FL100. Remember that all altitude changes require an explicit clearance by ATC.

Approach

Instrument arrivals

The primarily used approach procedure at Nörvenich air base is the TACAN approach. An ILS approach is also available during 24 operations for aircraft unable to receive TACAN.

During adverse weather conditions, PAR and SRA approaches may be available depending on staffing and traffic levels.

Visual arrivals

All visual arrivals have to contact Nörvenich Tower no later than 5 minutes before reaching the desired CTR entry point and have to enter the CTR at 2500ft.

Military fighter jets are required to arrive using one of the four jet arrival routes via the initial for the runway in use. Unless otherwise instructed, they shall then perform an overhead break maneuver.
SAR helicopters are required to arrive using one of the three SAR helicopter entry routes. These routes are not available for any other traffic than SAR helicopters.
Any other traffic is required to arrive using one of the standard arrival routes. Jet aircraft may only utilize the Northern pattern before arrival.

Reporting Point	Location
N	forest Hambacher Forst
S	roundabout L33 and L264
E1	rail bridge over A61
E2	highway A1 West of Bliesheim
Entry North	bridge Horremer Brücke
Entry East	highway A553 service station Am Alten Hau
Entry South	lake Neffelsee
Entry West	intersection L264 and A4
Initial 06 (non-compulsory reporting point)	farm Eko Farm Nörvenich
Initial 24 (non-compulsory reporting point)	town center Balkhausen

Landing

SAR41 can expect to land on the SAR helipad in the Southeast; all other helicopters can expect to land on one of the two helicopter lanes North and South of the runway.

All fixed wing aircraft can expect to land on the hard surface runway.