Dublin, Ireland (PG City)

The Flight Experience

Dublin offers a flight experience defined by its maritime charm, distinctive architecture, and the ever-present challenge of North Atlantic weather. The city sits on the relatively flat eastern coast, bisected by the River Liffey, which is the central navigational feature. The terrain is dense but low-rise, making the few vertical landmarks stand out dramatically. The photogrammetry added in World Update III (United Kingdom and Ireland) brought the city core to life, capturing the Georgian architecture, the historic docks, and the complex river system with great detail.

Dublin Airport (EIDW)

EIDW is the main gateway to Ireland and one of the busiest airports in Europe, serving as a critical hub for low-cost carriers (Ryanair) and transatlantic traffic.

• The Strip: Dublin is a highly modern airport with two parallel runways: the original 10L/28R and the newer, longer main runway, 10R/28L (3,110m). The parallel operations often involve complex sequencing for simultaneous arrivals and departures.

• The Challenge: The proximity to the coast means the airport is highly susceptible to coastal crosswinds and sudden drops in visibility due to fog (fogán) rolling in from the Irish Sea. Sim pilots should always be prepared for gusty conditions on final, making the approach a genuine test of rudder coordination and quick decision-making.

Visual Highlights

• River Liffey and the Samuel Beckett Bridge: The River Liffey is your primary VFR guide, leading directly from Dublin Bay into the city center. The most recognizable bridge is the Samuel Beckett Bridge, designed by Santiago Calatrava. Its unique, cable-stayed harp shape is brilliantly rendered and serves as a crucial visual waypoint.

• The Spire (Monument of Light): Rising 121 meters into the sky on O'Connell Street, this massive, needle-like structure is the city's most prominent vertical landmark. It is visible for miles and is the definitive reference for the central business district.

• Croke Park: The immense stadium for Gaelic games (GAA) is located north of the city center. Its massive, bowl-like structure makes it easily identifiable from the air, dwarfing the surrounding residential streets.

• Trinity College and Dublin Castle: These historic POIs, located near the southern bank of the Liffey, provide a visual anchor for the historic core. The quadrangle of Trinity College and the medieval walls of the Castle offer distinct patterns within the photogrammetry.

• Poolbeg Chimneys: Out on the coastline, these two massive red and white striped smokestacks mark the entrance to Dublin Port. They are an iconic visual landmark for pilots arriving from the east over the Irish Sea.

Pilot’s Note: The "Liffey Low Pass"

For a truly scenic VFR tour, take a small GA aircraft or a helicopter (like the H135). Depart EIDW and fly south to the coast, then turn west to track the River Liffey inland toward the city center.

The Maneuver: Contact ATC for a low-altitude pass over the river (staying well below the EIDW flight paths, typically 1,500ft or lower). Fly past the Poolbeg Chimneys, under the Samuel Beckett Bridge (in the sim, of course!), and past the Spire. This path provides the ultimate view of the city's unique architectural and maritime features before you turn back north to rejoin the pattern at EIDW.