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Tower

Runways

The airport has three runways, two of which run parallel and one of which crosses two runways.

Runway 13L / 31R

Runway 13L/31R is the longest runway at 3815 x 60m and is primary used for all inbound and outbound traffic. Runway 31R and 13L are both equiped with ILS CAT III.

Runway 13R / 31L

At a distance of about 1km southwest of runway 13L/31R is the much shorter parallel runway 13R/31L, which is 1863 x 45m long.

Due to its length and technical equipment, this runway is preferably used for VFR traffic. Because of its proximity to the military section, it is also frequently used by military aircraft. Runway 13R/31L is only approved for aircraft up to code C (e.g. B739, A321). During high traffic situations, this runway can be used for all light and medium traffic that is able (TORA 1863 m).

For non-precision approaches to runway 13R, a flight and ground visibility of at least 2.1 km must be provided due to the shortened approach lighting.

Runway 06 / 24

Across runways 13/31 is the intersecting runway 06/24, measuring 2459 x 45m. Only landing direction 24 is equipped with an ILS (CAT I). For RWY 06 only non-precision approaches are available.

Runway 06/24 is only approved for aircraft up to code letter E, including the B748.

For non-precision approaches to runway 24, a flight and ground visibility of at least 1.5 km must be provided due to the obstacle situation.

RWY24 can be used to taxi aircraft as well. Either because of wingspan limitations on TWY D or to the military apron, as well as for aircraft landing RWY13L to vacate the runway and to avoid the sharp turn into A3.

Control Zone

The control zone of Cologne-Bonn Airport is airspace type D and extends from the ground to 2500ft MSL.

EDDK_CTR.pngControlzone Cologne-Bonn

Airfields: South of the control zone there is the airfield Bonn-Hangelar EDKB, which, including its traffic circuit, is located outside the control zone.

To the north, also outside the control zone, is Leverkusen EDKL airfield. Its traffic circuit, however, extends into the control zone at an altitude of 1100ft on its southern side.

Please note the following: "From SR-30 until SS+30, the control zone in the depicted Dünnwald sector is not active. The general airspace classifications G (up to 1000ft AGL) and E (above 1000ft AGL) apply."
Source: AIP VFR Germany VOC EDKL

Hospitals: Several hospitals with helipads are located in the urban area of Cologne.

In the extended centerline of runway 13L, approx. 1.5 km north of the NDB LJ, is the hospital Merheim. Approaches to runway 13L fly over the hospital at approx. 1500ft. Helicopters may approach the landing area below the approaching traffic. Appropriate traffic information must then be provided to avoid missed approaches.

On the north-western edge of the control zone in Cologne-Nippes, on the CTR boundary, is the rather seldom approached St. Vinzenz Hospital.

On the west side in the Lindenthal district, just outside the control zone, is the University Hospital of Cologne.

To the west of the control zone is the Nörvenich ETNN airbase. Despite their proximity, the control zones of the two airports do not border directly on each other, but are separated by a narrow strip of type C airspace.

VFR-Traffic

There are 7 mandatory reporting points and 1 optional reporting point available for VFR traffic at Cologne.

Reporting Point
 Location
NOVEMBER 1 BAB 4, exit Bergisch Gladbach-Bensberg
NOVEMBER 2 BAB 3, motorway service station Königsforst-Ost
ECHO 1 Church in the middle of Neunkirchen

ECHO 2

(Optional)

 BAB 3, service area Sülztal
SIERRA 1 Marina at the mouth of the Sieg River into the Rhine
SIERRA 2 Sports facilities north of the village of Troisdorf-Spich
KILO 1 BAB 1 / BAB 57, motorway interchange Köln-Nord
KILO 2 BAB 4, rhine bridge Rodenkirchen

Just as popular for flights from / to the Bergisches Land are take-offs or landings in Bonn-Hangelar combined with a flight through the control zone via the S and N routes.

VFR Squawk: All VFR traffic inside the controlzone of Cologne will get the transpondercode 7003.

Helicopter traffic: The airport has frequent helicopter traffic. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that a helicopter squadron of the Federal Police is located at Bonn-Hangelar Airport and training traffic also takes place there. On the other hand, two rescue helicopters are stationed at the airport. "Christoph 3" (CHX3) has its landing pad at the GAT, while the intensive care transport helicopter "Christoph Rheinland" (CHX75) of the ADAC has its base at the north-western edge of the V- Apron towards Taxiway B. Only "Christoph 3" though, is allowed to land and depart directly from it's helipad. Every other helicopter has to either land on the runway or the runway threshold (e.g. 13R) and has to air-taxi to it's final position afterwards.

Direction of Operation

Up to a tailwind component of 5kt, operations will be handled via runways 31R and 31L. Runway 24 is also used if necessary up to a tailwind component of 5kt.

Operating direction 06 is used extremely rarely because the wind through the Cologne Bay preferably blows from a northerly to northwesterly direction.

In order to accelerate the taxiing of traffic and after prior coordination with ground control, the tower may give taxiing traffic (taxiways A3-A4) an initial taxi instruction into taxiway A or taxiway E (depending on the take-off direction) and then hand it over to ground control.

Parallel Operations

Due to the distance of only approx. 1150 m between the runway centrelines of 13L/31R and 13R/31L, independent parallel runway operations between these runways for IFR and/or SVFR traffic are not permitted.

Radar and runway seperation need to be applied, wake turbulence separation is not required.

Crossing Runway Operations

Combined operation of runways 13L/31R and 24 has the highest capacity. When runway 13R/31L is used as well, runway 24 is blocked for significantly longer.

It is important during crossing runway operations that the preceeding traffic (landing or departing) has crossed the runway cross before the succeeding traffic (landing) for the other runway has reached the 1 NM final. Otherwise the succeeding traffic has to go around.

Example: Departing traffic runway 31R has passed the runway cross before the inbound reaches 1 NM final for runway 24.

Missed Approaches

Without further coordination, the standard missed approach procedures published in the AIP shall be used.

Should a conflict arise due to an aborted approach in combination with a departing aircraft, the tower may issue immediate instructions to resolve the conflict. The arrival controller shall then be informed immediately of the action taken.

Auto-Handoff

Köln/Bonn utilizes an auto-handoff procedure for IFR departures where Tower will not hand off outbounds to the arrival controller. Make sure to set the correct departure frequency in the ATIS.

Outbounds should contact APP when passing 2.000 ft MSL unless explicitly told to remain on Tower frequency.

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