Before the epidemic, the airport Berlin Tegel EDDT, was very busy. The airport was practically closed for litte GA aircraft. Now there is very little traffic. The number of flights has decreased by more than ninety percent. This is a good opportunity to fly an approach. We decided for the ILS. In order to do that one needs a slot even in this special situation but that was not a problem. Our intention was a low pass followed by a left turn after cancelling IFR to use the good weather for sightseeing. Landing had to be avoided due to high fees and compulsory handling. The short distance to the IAF NASAT at 4000 ft was extremely bumpy. It was difficult to hold altitude exactly and set frequencies, that was no fun. Eventually it became calmer above the city and finally on the vectored ILS approach for RWY 26 right.
This picture shows Berlin from Pankow, which is in the north east:
Above Berlin-Reinickendorf:
The view to the right:
Short final:
Above the runway:
After the left turn the olympic stadion can be seen:
With Berlin-Westend in the foreground:
On the left the Teufelsberg in the Grunewald with the former US radar station:
In the middle of this picture you can see the International Congress Center ICC, Berlins worst architctural eyescore, further left the Exhibition halls:
Theodor Heuss Platz in the middle of this picture:
The ugly ICC is today a listed building, just to the right the good old “Funkturm” from 1926 which was build as an antenna for the the nearby radio station.
A view to the left shows the inner city:
And the old capital airport Tempelhof which was closed in 2008:
The thought of it still makes me sad. In October we will also lose Tegel Airport, maybe even earlier. The majority of Berliners are in favor of keeping the airport open. Nevertheless, the politicians want to close it. There cannot be a referendum, they call it democracy.
Another shot from the city:
The new airport BER EDDB is located outside the city in the south east, it was designed as a single airport.
Small planes are not welcome there, the prices have been designed accordingly, Avgas 100 LL is not available. The residents do not want this airport because it concentrates aircraft noise at a single airport. The Berliners don’t want it either because the distances are too great. Construction started in 2006 and the airport should be ready in 2011. But he didn’t finish in time. By the next attempt in 2012, the invitations to the opening ceremony had even been sent out, and three weeks before the appointment was canceled. Many further postponed opening dates followed.
The new BER airport is now scheduled to open permanently in October 2020. Very sad for GA, the residents and the Berliners.
I like to think of the time when we still had three airports with Tempelhof as a city airport in the middle.
Nevertheless Berlin is worth a visit as you probably already know and can see from the photos.
I see Tempelhof is not filled with real estate. What’s the function of that place now ? I thought the airport needed to be closed so one could build a lot of appartments ?
No, AFAIK, it was never planned to build houses on Tempelhof. It was closed just to get rid of the airport, by the socialist administration of the city. Today it‘s just an open field, populated by walkers, cyclists, etc. That‘s what these peope want.
Great pics, highflyer. Mine are here.
I last landed at Tegel in 2009 or so, visiting my grandma that lived in the west of Berlin. 50
Euros at the time. Unthinkable these days.
I pity GA pilots living in Berlin (edited to add: and Munich, of course).
Closing Tempelhof was really a crime. I count myself lucky to have flown in there (as pax on CAT) once before it closed. What a great piece of architecture and super- convenient location.
boscomantico wrote:
it was never planned to build houses on Tempelhof.
It was the other way around. The politicians wanted to build on the airport, a lot of money could be made with the expensive building site. However, these plans were prevented by a referendum. Today they want to ignore this referendum and are planning for Development.
Thanks for your advice, I had never seen your pictures.
Thanks, you‘ll know the details better. But I think one could say they knew it wouldn‘t be built on at least for many years to come.
I was wondering, if CAT is still mostly grounded by the time BER is opening, whether to fly there GA and do a low pass or so just for the sake of it.
Have they published their fees already?
So if one visits Berlin by GA where is the bast place to visit VFR and IFR.
Where do all the locals go gliding?
VFR or IFR, the best place is Schönhagen (EDAZ), a very well managed airfield with everything you could wish for. Problem is just that it’s way outside the city and not directly connected with any public transport. For locals, it is OK as long as they live in the very south or southwest of Berlin. But if you live in the north or west, you are rather lost. In the east of the city, there is also Strausberg (EDAY). Also not bad, but no IFR (the have been working on it for some time). Advantage: direct commuter train connection a few hundred meters from the airfield.
Great writeup!
I did Tempelhof EDDI shortly before it closed in 2008.
With so many people going there that year, the staff were pretty happy it was closing. Suddenly they had a lot of work and were quite p1ssed off