Stockholm (PG City)

The Flight Experience Stockholm is famously known as "Beauty on Water," built across 14 islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea. For virtual pilots, this geography creates a stunning visual tapestry of blue water, green parks, and dense orange-hued urban blocks.

The region offers a tale of two airports. You have the massive international hub of Arlanda (ESSA) to the north, situated in deep pine forests. But the true gem for simmers is Bromma (ESSB). Located just minutes from the city center, it is a historic, constrained airport with a short runway. Flying into Bromma feels like landing in a neighbor's backyard, offering intimate views of the city skyline that Arlanda simply cannot match.

Visual Highlights

• Avicii Arena (The Globe): The world’s largest spherical building is the absolute anchor of the southern skyline. It looks like a giant white golf ball dropped into the city and is visible from virtually anywhere in the Stockholm airspace.

• Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset): Standing right on the water's edge, this red-brick masterpiece is famous for its tower topped with three golden crowns. It marks the entrance to the Old Town from the west.

• Gamla Stan (Old Town): The historic heart of the city is an island of dense, medieval buildings. From the air, the tight, irregular street pattern and the massive square footprint of the Royal Palace are clearly distinguishable from the modern grid surrounding it.

• Gröna Lund & Djurgården: On the island of Djurgården, you can spot the roller coasters and towers of the Gröna Lund amusement park. Just next to it is the distinct ship-shaped roof of the Vasa Museum.

• Kaknäs Tower: A brutalist concrete TV tower in the eastern eco-park. It serves as a critical VFR reporting point for traffic entering from the Baltic archipelago.

Pilot’s Note: Fly Bromma while you can! In the real world, the political pressure to close Bromma Airport (ESSB) to build housing is immense. In the simulator, enjoy the challenge of the "City Visual" approach. Approaching Runway 30 requires you to fly over the city center, but strict noise abatement procedures mean you must keep your RPMs managed and follow a precise track to avoid buzzing the Royal Palace too low.