# 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. <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">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.</span>

<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">**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.</span>

### <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Parking position</span>

<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Please make sure you choose an appropriate stand for your aircraft type.</span>

<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">**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.</span>

<p class="callout danger"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">**Do not use stand V01** as this stand blocks part of TWY T.</span></p>

<p class="callout danger"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">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.</span></p>

#### <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">East Apron</span>

With AIRAC 2511, the restructuring of the **East Apron** has (almost) been completed. The apron layout has changed considerably, with multiple stands being renamed or removed. Consequently, the sceneries no longer correspond to the current charts. Therefore, we suggest not using any of the affected stands at East Apron to avoid conflicts. Controllers will not assign you a stand here either.

[![eddl-new-apron.png](https://knowledgebase.vatsim-germany.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-10/scaled-1680-/eddl-new-apron.png)](https://knowledgebase.vatsim-germany.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-10/eddl-new-apron.png)  
*New East Apron Layout (green - new layout; grey - old layout)*

#### <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">777 parking positions</span>

<p class="callout info"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">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**.</span></p>

- <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">**A05**, **A07**, **A11**, **A12A** (DLH group &amp; Star Alliance)</span>
- <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">**B03**, **B06**, **B08**, **B09** (Schengen only)</span>
- <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">**C02**, **C03**, **C05**, **C06** (THY, BAW, QTR, UAE, ETD, MSR)</span>

#### <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A380 parking positions</span>

<p class="callout info"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">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**.</span></p>

- <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">**C02A**, **V38B** (primary use)</span>
- <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">V08B, V11B (overflow positions)</span>

### <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Communication</span>

#### <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Complex instructions</span>

<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">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**.</span>

<p class="callout warning"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">If you receive an instruction that you are unable to comply with for any reason, **hold position and inform ATC immediately**!</span></p>

<p class="callout warning"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">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**.</span></p>

#### <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Handoffs</span>

<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">**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!</span>

##### <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Auto-handoff</span>

<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">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.</span>

<p class="callout danger"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Contact the airborne frequency **when passing 2000ft** unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.</span></p>