Kiel (PG City)

The Flight Experience Kiel offers a distinct maritime flying experience defined by heavy steel and dark water. Located at the end of the Kiel Fjord (Kieler Förde), it serves as the eastern gateway to the Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee-Kanal)—the busiest artificial waterway in the world.

For virtual pilots, Kiel-Holtenau Airport (EDHK) is a hidden gem. It sits on a narrow strip of land immediately north of the canal locks. The approach is visually cluttered in the best way possible: you are landing parallel to massive container ships and cruise ferries that are often taller than your glide path altitude. It is a strictly General Aviation hub now, making it a peaceful but scenic base for Baltic tours.

Visual Highlights

• The Holtenau Locks: Located just off the runway threshold, these massive twin-lock chambers are the city's defining feature. Watching 300-meter cargo ships squeeze through the gates is a unique sight from the cockpit.

• Laboe Naval Memorial: Situated on the eastern shore of the fjord entrance, this 85-meter tower is shaped like a Viking ship's sail (or a submarine conning tower). It is the absolute primary VFR reporting point for aircraft entering the fjord from the Baltic Sea.

• German Naval Yards: Kiel is the home of the German Navy’s Baltic fleet. In high-quality scenery, you can spot grey frigates and Type 212 submarines docked at the Tirpitzmole.

• Cruise & Ferry Terminals: The city center harbor is dominated by the massive Scandinavian ferries (Color Line and Stena Line). Their white and blue hulls are often rendered as static objects, towering over the city streets.

• Olympic Center Schilksee: Further north along the coast, the marina complex from the 1972 Olympics is a distinct geometric pattern of docks and breakwaters, marking the transition to open sea.

Pilot’s Note: Fly the "Canal Transit" (NOK Run). This is a legendary VFR route in Northern Germany. Instead of flying high, follow the Kiel Canal at 1,000ft from the North Sea locks at Brunsbüttel all the way to Kiel. It is a 60-mile straight line of navigation where you can race the cargo ships below, passing under high bridges like the Rendsburg High Bridge (with its distinct transporter gondola).