ETNG - Geilenkirchen Airbase
Overview
Geilenkirchen is a NATO base in Geilenkirchen. The airfield was originally built and used by British occupation forces after World War II and later handed over to the German Luftwaffe for a short time before becoming a NATO headquarter and the most important AWACS base in Europe. In addition to the military operations, the aeroclub Geilenkirchen conducts civilian general aviation flights at the airport, albeit primarily outside of the military operating hours.
As Geilenkirchen is a military airport, charts can't be found in the normal AIP. They are accessible through the MIL AIP, GEMIL FLIP VAD, and CENOR FLIP in the milais.
Geilenkirchen is an unrestricted airport. The Tower position can be staffed by all controllers with an S2 rating or higher. The radar position can be staffed by all controllers with an S3 rating or higher, although it is recommended to hold the EDDL_APP Tier 1 endorsement for familiarity with the surrounding airspace. Additionally, controllers should closely familiarize themselves with military procedures before staffing the airport.
Geilenkirchen ATC Stations
| Station |
Station ID |
Login |
Frequency |
Remarks |
Endorsement |
| ATIS |
ATNG |
ETNG_ATIS |
118.090 |
-- |
-- |
| Tower |
TNGT |
ETNG_TWR |
120.055 |
military station |
unrestricted: no course |
| Arrival |
TNGA |
ETNG_APP |
123.730 |
military station |
unrestricted: no course |
| Bottrop sector |
BOT |
EDDL_BOT_APP |
119.110 |
-- |
Tier 1: EDDL_APP |
All stations at Geilenkirchen use the callsign "Frisbee", e.g. "Frisbee Radar".
Quickview
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Tower
Frisbee Tower is responsible for all movements at the airport and within the CTR as well as all enroute and startup clearances.
General
Operating direction
Whenever traffic levels and weather conditions allow, opposite direction operations should be used with runway 09 as departure runway and 27 as arrival runway.
Enroute clearances
All IFR departures shall be cleared for the applicable SID according to the departure runway.
Whenever there is no SID to the first waypoint or the pilot requests an OID for departure, the enroute clearance must be coordinated with Frisbee Radar. The clearance will be given by Frisbee Radar to be relayed to the pilot by Frisbee Tower. If Frisbee Radar is offline, the enroute clearance has to be coordinated with the appropriate civilian radar controller.
Further information on clearances to be given can be found in the ETNG Approach SOP.
IFR traffic
All IFR traffic shall use the hard surface runway.
Departures
A departure release for all IFR departures shall be obtained from Frisbee Radar during 09 operations and from Beek Approach during 27 operations as well as from Bottrop sector regardless of operating direction.
Departures shall be handed off to Frisbee Radar (09 operations) or Beek Approach (27 operations) as soon as possible unless otherwise coordinated.
Arrivals
For IFR arrivals on a PAR approach, a landing clearance shall be relayed to Frisbee Radar.
In case of a missed approach, Frisbee Radar (during all operations) and Beek Approach (during 27 operations) shall be informed immediately.
VFR traffic
General
VFR approaches are only possible during 27 operations; VFR departures are only possible during 09 operations.
VFR traffic going around or conducting low approaches/touch and goes shall always be instructed to remain over German territory.
Frisbee Tower: D-ETNG, cleared touch and go runway 27 grass, join right circuit runway 27, remain over German territory.
Grass lane
The grass lane may be used in parallel to the hard surface runway. It is only available for aircraft with a maximum wingspan of 15m. Traffic circuits for the grass lane shall always take place to the North.
Break direction
Overhead breaks shall only take place toward the South.
Reporting points
There are seven reporting points around the Geilenkirchen CTR, all of which are mandatory reporting points.
| Reporting point |
Location |
Remark |
| November 1 |
Adolfosee lake | -- |
| November 2 |
Tripsrath village | -- |
| Sierra 1 |
Plitschard village | -- |
| Sierra 2 |
Siepenbusch village | -- |
| Entry North Exit North |
quarry lake Baal | Entry North for military traffic during 27 operations only Exit North for military traffic during 09 operations only |
| Entry South Exit South |
Blausteinsee lake | Entry South for military traffic during 27 operations only Exit South for military traffic during 09 operations only |
| Initial |
Immendorf village | for military traffic during 09 operations only |
Approach
Frisbee Radar is responsible for all airborne traffic within the Geilenkirchen approach sector as well as coordinating all enroute clearances for IFR departures out of Geilenkirchen airport.
Frisbee Radar shall always inform the controllers of EDGG sectors Bottrop, Düsseldorf Arrival, Köln Arrival as well as EHAA sector Beek when opening and closing the position.
Airspace
The airspace controlled by Frisbee Radar is class E which is lowered to 1000ft AGL in the entire area of responsibility.
Departure procedures
Enroute clearances
Enroute clearances for OID departures must always be coordinated with all concerned adjacent sectors. Exact routings to the first fix in the flight plan must be adapted to the individual traffic situation but usually a DCT to the first waypoint is the best solution. The initial climb shall always be at least 3000ft. Initial flight levels beyond the upper boundary of the Frisbee Radar sector must be coordinated with all concerned sectors.
The enroute clearance for OID departures will be requested by Frisbee Tower and has to be communicated to Frisbee Tower once it has been coordinated. Frisbee Tower will then relay the clearance to the pilot.
For departures from runway 27, the initial climb always has to be coordinated with Beek Approach.
Transfer to civilian ATC
All departures on an SID shall be handed off before reaching the sector border and Frisbee Radar shall obtain a release by Bottrop sector for all departures.
Handoffs for OID departures shall always be coordinated individually (preferably while coordinating the enroute clearance) and then take place as agreed, but usually a handoff at the sector border is the best solution.
27 departures
Departures out of runway 27 will not be sent to Frisbee Radar unless otherwise agreed. The default departure controller for these is Beek Approach.
Arrival procedures
Transfer from civilian ATC
Handoffs for arrivals shall always be coordinated individually and then take place as agreed. Frisbee Radar should, whenever possible, approach civilian ATC with a proposal for the handoff ahead of time, but usually a DCT to an appropriate IAF or to GIX at 4000ft with a full release is the best solution.
Approach
Geilenkirchen has a TACAN and an RNP approach to both runways as well as an ILS to runway 27.
During 27 operations, the ILS approach should be used primarily; however, there is also a PAR approach available for both runways.
Since Frisbee Precision is currently not implemented on VATSIM, PAR approaches can only be conducted if traffic levels permit - if necessary, Frisbee Radar can coordinate with civilian ATC to keep other inbound traffic outside of the airspace while a PAR approach is taking place; whether this is possible, however, depends on the current workload of civilian ATC.
During 09 operations, arriving traffic will be guided to final approach by Beek Approach and sent directly to Frisbee Tower unless otherwise agreed.