Aeronautical Information Package

The guide summarizes "real-life" information for VFR flying in aerofly FS: aerodromes operational procedures, ground maps, visual approach charts, radio-telephony and radio-aids information.

Introduction

Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flying is all about manoeuvring an aircraft with reference to the ground and with respect to the rules of the air. It's about departing and approaching airfields by following the appropriate routes. It's also about accurate control of the course, the altitude, and the attitude of the aircraft while flying in the traffic pattern. The present guide was therefore set up to help VFR pilots in aerofly FS planning their flights by following the "real-life" VFR flying routes and procedures. Not only will that increase the immersion and enhance the realism of the flying experience, it will also help to develop accurate pilot and navigator skills.

The guide deals exclusively with Swiss airspace, since it was set up for aerofly FS. More specifically, the guide includes information regarding:

• Aerodromes (ADs) general information and operational procedures;
  
• Ground maps, including taxi and parking, if applicable;
  
• Visual approach charts (VAC).
  
• Radio-telephony procedures and frequencies;
  
• Radio-beacons locations and frequencies;

All information and charts provided in the guide are for flight simulation only; do not use them for "real-life" navigation. Pictures are used for illustration purposes, no copyright infringement intended. Please contact me or leave a comment if needed.

Have fun & fly safe.

Glossary of acronyms

AD // Aerodrome
AMSL // Above Mean Sea Level
ATIS // Automated Terminal Information Service
DME // Distance Measuring Equipment
IFR // Instrument Flight Rules
ILS // Instrument Landing System
LDA // Landing Distance Available
LLZ // Localizer
NDB // Non-Directional Beacon
R/T // Radio-Telephony
RWY // Runway
TORA // Take-Off Run Available
VAC // Visual Approach Chart
VFR // Visual Flight Rules
VHF // Very-High Frequency
VOR // VHF Omni-directional Range

General (GEN)

Swiss aerodromes (ADs)

Switzerland hosts a total of 62 permanent ADs:

• 13 airports (RWY length >= 1,800 m, asphalt)
  
• 8 aerodromes (1,200 m <= RWY length < 1,800 m, asphalt)
  
• 15 airstrips (800m <= RWY length < 1,200 m, asphalt)
  
• 27 airfields (RWY length < 800 m, asphalt or grass)

Among the 62 ADs, 32 are included in aerofly FS, and 4 have HD details. 11 ADs are/have been/were used for military purposes; they are all included in aerofly FS. Remarkably, aerofly FS does not include an airfield with a primary grass runway. Note that it is possible to land at the non-included ADs (asphalt or grass), but be prepared for a bumpy ride as the ground is most likely not flat.

Basel-Mulhouse and Zurich are the only Swiss ADs with more than 1 asphalt runway (2 and 3, respectively). Moreover, 13 ADs have secondary grass runway(s). Discarding off-airport, temporary, and abandoned fields, there are therefore 82 landing strips spread across Switzerland.

Geneva and Basel-Mulhouse have the longest asphalt runways (3,900 m), and Geneva also has the longest grass runway (823 m). On the other hand, Langenthal and Sitterdorf have the shortest asphalt (490 m) and grass runways (460 m), respectively. Note that the take-off run available (TORA) and the landing distance available (LDA) may be shorter than the runway length reported in the guide. Regarding elevation, Locarno (650 ft amsl) and Samedan (5,600 ft amsl) have, respectively, the lowest and highest altitude above mean sea level (amsl).

Radio-telephony (R/T) and radio-navigation

Note: COM/NAV information is of little "practical" use in aerofly FS since R/T and radio-navigation are not implemented.

Depending on the size of the facilities, automated terminal information service (ATIS), ground, tower, departure, approach, and glider frequencies are available at the various ADs.

For radio-navigation, Switzerland offers 8 non-directional beacons (NDB), 3 distance-measuring equipments (DME), and 13 (Doppler) VHF omni-directional range ((D)VOR). They are spread across the country and can be used to practice cross-country navigation or to follow published VFR/IFR routes. They are also commonly used to define VFR (mandatory) reporting points.

Additionally, 17 localizers (LLZ) are operated at 11 of the largest Swiss ADs (Bale-Mulhouse (x2), Bern, Dubendorf, Emmen, Geneva (x2), Les Eplatures, Lugano, Payerne (x2), St Gallen, Sion, Zurich (x4)). Each LLZ is coupled to a DME and could theoretically be used to practice precision approaches on the corresponding runway.

Aerodromes (ADs)

For practical purposes (e.g. readability, loading times, updates, etc.), all the charts are provided individually and compiled in a single PDF-file, hereafter referred to as the VFR Information Package. Charts are stored on Google Drive, as Steam doesn't allow uploading PDFs for guides. In the following, ADs are sorted alphabetically based on their full name.

VFR Information Package (all ADs)

All charts[drive.google.com] (ADs, R/T, VFR, GND, OPS) // 225 MB

Individual charts

ADs locations[drive.google.com]
Radio facility index[drive.google.com]

Alpnach | LSMA (military)
Ambri | LSPM[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Amlikon "R" | LSPA[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Bad Ragaz | LSZE[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Basel-Mulhouse | LFSB[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 8 GND)
Bellechasse "R" | LSTB[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Bern Belp | LSZB[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 12 GND)
Bex | LSGB[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Biel Kappelen | LSZP[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Birrfeld | LSZF[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 6 GND)
Bressaucourt | LSZQ[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Buochs | LSZC[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 6 GND)
Buttwil | LSZU[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Cote (La) | LSGP[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Courtelary | LSZJ[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Dittingen | LSPD[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Dubendorf | LSMD (military)[drive.google.com] (1 GND)
Ecuvillens | LSGE[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Emmen | LSME (military)[drive.google.com] (1 GND)
Eplatures (Les) | LSGC[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 4 GND)
Fricktal Schupfart | LSZI[drive.google.com] (VAC, GND)
Geneva | LSGG[drive.google.com] (4 VAC, 13 GND)
Grenchen | LSZG[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 8 GND)
Gruyeres | LSGT[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Hausen am Albis "R" | LSZN[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Interlaken | LSMI (military)
Kaegiswil | LSPG[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 1 GND)
Langenthal | LSPL[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 4 GND)
Lausanne La Blecherette | LSGL[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 6 GND)
Locarno | LSZL[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 4 GND)
Lodrino | LSML (military)[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 3 GND)
Lommis | LSZT[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Lugano Agno | LSZA[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 10 GND)
Luzern Beromunster | LSZO[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Meiringen | LSMM (military)
Mollis | LSMF (military)[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Montricher "R" | LSTR[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Motiers | LSTO[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Munster | LSPU[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 3 GND)
Neuchatel | LSGN[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Olten "R" | LSPO[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Payerne | LSMP (military)
Raron | LSTA[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 1 GND)
Reichenbach | LSGR[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Saanen | LSGK[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
St Gallen Altenrhein | LSZR[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 8 GND)
St Stephan | LSTS[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 1 GND)
Samedan | LSZS[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 8 GND)
Schaffhausen | LSPF[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Schanis "R" | LSZX[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Sion | LSGS[drive.google.com] (2 VAC, 8 GND)
Sitterdorf | LSZV[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Speck Fehraltorf | LSZK[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Thun | LSSW[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Triengen | LSPN[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Turtmann | LSMJ (military)
Ulrichen | LSMC (military)
Wangen Lagen | LSPV[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Winterthur "R" | LSPH[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 2 GND)
Yverdon les bains | LSGY[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)
Zurich | LSZH[drive.google.com] (4 VAC, 18 GND)
Zweisimmen | LSTZ[drive.google.com] (1 VAC, 4 GND)

[[FCClan]The_Stranger]

It says that I don't have access to the files on google drive.

[Super_Dog]

I like the scenery, but why can't I use my x-box controller?

[korych]

Thank's!!!

[CoolBreeZe]

Good to hear

[leisurelifehk]

Yes, I like this, I am a new comer, like to follow rules and regulations to shape my flying attitude.