LOWI for pilots

About this document

This wiki page is intended as a starter and briefer for first-time or inexperienced pilots to get into or out of LOWI/Innsbruck. The reason to write such a page is:

• LOWI is the default airport for X-Plane 9
• LOWI is extremely beautiful to fly (great mountains, deep valley)
• LOWI is frequently staffed
• LOWI is quite challenging to fly
• If all aircraft accidents around LOWI would be real, the valley would be an enormous cemetery.

The structure of this document covers in sequence arrival, approach, ground and departure.

Charts you need to have

Do not even think of flying into Innsbruck without charts. Especially when flying online, expect diversion if you don't have them. The overview for all charts is [here at the VATSIM Austria homepage. Study them in advance to avoid surprises. We will discuss the charts one by one once you need them.

Overview from the air

LOWI is in a deep valley which runs east-west roughly. At a more detailed look, you see that exactly at Innsbruck the valley bends. This narrows the options to reach the airport without hitting a mountain: For large birds, only east and west are possible. For VFR, two more add to it: from the North via Seefeld and from the south via Brenner.

IFR approach

The [STAR chart] This chart shows you already: You have two main approaches into the valley: East (via RTT NDB) and West (via KTI NDB). There is a third option for visual specialists, but to that later.

LOC DME EAST approach

... is the most common approach into Innsbruck. You are levelled off by Innsbruck Radar (119.27) some 25nm out of the airport at 10.000ft altitude (local QNH, not flight level!). Be aware that this is NOT an ILS approach and that you will hit the apron and a hangar if you think so. Be also aware, that both approaches can lead to both runways, as you fly the last section visually and turn in the narrow valley - really thrilling.

In a nutshell, LOC DME East leads you straight down into the valley where you land visually, either almost straight 26 or circling at 08. But let's look at that step by step.

Approach and landing has the following steps:

1. At RTT, you are told to level at 10.000ft (local QNH!). You might be told to enter the holding there. See the chart: The holding is RIGHT around at 226° - please adher to it. You make a real mess for the Approach controller, if you turn left.

1. ATC clears for LOC DME East approach. The most used phrase is:

LOWI_APP: LHA123, cleared LOC DME East approach, report established.

This means: You look at the chart and see: Leave RTT with heading 210° (not more to the left - you hit mountains!) and grab the localizer OEV (111.10) and the glideslope like a normal ILS approach. Strictly, the glideslope is only an indicator and you have to follow the altitude limits on the chart, but you might as well do the other way around: grab the glideslope and monitor altitude and OEV DME. Be aware, that the phrase LOC DME Eeast means something: It means that it is a localizer that is not meant to be flown to the very bottom.

1. You are transferred to LOWI_TWR. Innsbruck Tower monitors your whole descent from D18 (at 8500ft) to landing (1893ft). Then the next surprise starts: There are still two runways available. Usually, LOWW_TWR tells you the runway in use and where to report. From this point on, you should have the [Visual Approach Chart] ready.

Runway 26 for landing

LOWI_TWR: LHA123, Innsbruck Tower. Wind calm, Expect runway 26 and report Absam (AB NDB).

This is the easy way, and still many pilots screw it up: After AB NDB (OEV 6.3DME) you have see the runway or go around. Once you report, TWR will clear you to land or go around. In both cases, you disconnect the AP now! Either you land manually, or you go around manually. The go-around is a steep left turn with max climb rate and return to RTT NDB. You must have below 160kt and 30° bank to avoid the mountains.

Circling Runway 08 for landing

The other option is a circling approach to runway 08. The usual phrase for that is:

LOWI_TWR LHA123, Innsbruck Tower. Wind calm, expect circling runway 08, report downwind.

This is the more challenging way and many pilots get puzzled. Why landing 08 if you have 26 out front? Never mind - tower has his/her reasons, and you need to comply. The way to comply is on the visual approach chart: You level off at 3700m MSL (Disconnect the Autopilot! If you want to fly it real, then fly it by hand. The ground is your best reference). After AB, you turn left 230° which leads you head onto INN NDB (don't grab it - fly that visually!). The route leads you over the higher green fields on the left side below the Patscherkofel. Scary, eeh? Fly past the airport and then watch your DME meter (Caution: OEV DME first decreases, then increases again. Once it increases again and hits 3.5nm, do a sharp right turn and descend into the valley. With a bit of training you find yourself head on runway 08 for landing.

Common mistakes are:

• Pilots leave the AP with ILS on and get too low at AB. Disconnect early to level off at 3.700 (better 4.000) ft.
• Pilots fly the circle with manual configuration of the Autopilot. But the AP does not know the valley. You are simply too slow and not exact. Fly by hand, this is what pilots are for.
• Pilots don't descend at the final turn and end up too high, desperately dive and land way too fast. You have to bend and descend (again, by hand). It is a nice, gradual descent - no need for a vomit-dive.

Speed: Take your time

Flying into Innsbruck is often done too fast. As a rule of thumb:

• Reduce speed to approach after RTT, before you grab the glideslope. You won't want to overspeed. Unlike other airports, Innsbruck Tower might tell you speed restrictions.
• For runways 26 and 08, reduce to landing speed at or before AB NDB. As simpilot you fly alone, and it's easier to configure your plane for landing when still on autopilot. If you are used to it, you can slow down between AB and touchdown 26, and while flying downwind for 08.
• For circling 08, you definitely should have your plane configured to land (speed, flaps, gear) before turning into final.

On the ground

(see the aerodrome chart, which is [here].)

X-Plane Screenshot of LOWI

*The far eastern part is for General Aviation (GAC East).

• The middle part of the apron is for larger birds.
• Local General Aviation is at the very Western part in front of Hangars I, II and III.
• In the western part is a "cutout" in the grass. On earlier charts, this was marked as helipad. Some choppers still use it.
• Rescure and police helicopters operate from the "Flugrettungszentrum" (ICAO: LOJO), which is south of hangar III and the engine run stand. Local pilots pronounce it "Lojo" and don't spell it. LOJO is not part of any standard package. Giannis MSFS add on scenery has it, and X-Plane has it too.
• The Apron has no predefined "stands" in real life. In real life, aircraft are handed off to the follow-me car. As there is no car at VATSIM, you are most likely to given instruction:

LOWI_TWR: LHA123, taxi to stand of your choice