Gothenburg, Sweden (PG City)

The Flight Experience

Gothenburg, the gateway to Sweden's west coast, offers a flight experience defined by striking maritime industry and the serenity of the Nordic landscape. The city is bisected by the broad Göta älv (river), leading to a massive, bustling port and shipyard area that contrasts with the dense, surrounding evergreen forests and lakes. The photogrammetry, added in World Update V (Nordics and Greenland), captures the distinctive architecture of the city center and the impressive industrial scale of the harbor. Flying here is a study in navigating between dense forest environments and intricate coastal waterways.

Gothenburg Landvetter Airport (ESGG)

ESGG is the second-largest airport in Sweden, serving as a vital hub for commercial and cargo traffic for the west coast.

• The Strip: The airport operates a single, long runway (03/21), suitable for all mainline jet traffic, including transatlantic cargo flights.

• The Challenge: Landvetter's location, surrounded by vast forests and numerous lakes, means that VFR navigation is heavily reliant on instruments and terrain awareness, especially in the low light and visibility common in Nordic winters. The airport is also susceptible to strong, gusty crosswinds channeled by the nearby sea and low terrain, which often tests a pilot's ability to maintain a stable approach on final.

Visual Highlights

• Läppstiftet (The Lipstick Building): This is the most famous modern landmark on the Gothenburg skyline. Look for the tall, distinct red-and-white striped skyscraper situated right on the harbor. Its unique shape is brilliantly rendered in the PG and serves as the ultimate VFR checkpoint for the harbor entrance.

• Göta älv and the Port: The wide river is the city's geographical spine. The massive port area and shipyard to the west are a huge visual field, dominated by intricate networks of docks, cranes, and industrial structures that provide a rich, detailed view from the air.

• Älvsborg Bridge: This enormous suspension bridge spans the Göta älv near the sea entrance. It is a key VFR reference, marking the dividing line between the inner harbor and the rocky archipelago.

• Liseberg Amusement Park: Located in the city center, this popular amusement park is clearly identifiable from the air by its distinctive ride structures, particularly the roller coasters, which stand out from the dense urban grid.

• Skärgård (The Archipelago): Fly west over the coast, and the geography transforms into the rugged, rocky Gothenburg Archipelago—hundreds of small islands and skerries. This is a breathtaking scenic area for low-level flying.

Pilot’s Note: The "Archipelago Run"

For a truly Scandinavian flight, take a small floatplane or a helicopter and perform the "Archipelago Run."

The Maneuver: Depart ESGG and fly west, descending toward the coast. Fly low (500-1,000 feet) over the Göta älv, passing under (sim-only!) the Älvsborg Bridge. Once you hit the coast, spend 20 minutes threading your way through the countless islands of the Archipelago. This requires constant course adjustments and height changes, rewarding you with spectacular coastal scenery before you head inland for the return to Landvetter.