The airfield EDTQ Pattonville, also known as ‘Ludwigsburg Army Airfield’, is located in Southern Germany just north of Stuttgart. Originally built by the German Wehrmacht and later taken over by the US Army, the airfield served purely military purposes for a long time. After the end of World War II, the local flying clubs were also able to use the airfield with its almost 700-meter-long asphalt runway for private flights. To this day, Pattonville airfield is primarily used for general aviation and gliders by members of the several clubs based at the airfield, where aspiring pilots can also obtain their license. You can still see the decades of American influence on the airfield and in particular the surrounding district of Pattonville through its typical architecture.

As a result of complaints about aircraft noise among residents, Pattonville airfield cannot be approached via a traffic pattern as is usual in Germany. To reduce noise pollution, special arrival and departure corridors that are flown via mandatory reporting points to avoid flying over populated areas were created. This is one of the reasons why the Pattonville airfield is a very special piece of aviation history in Germany and offers not only variety but also a little challenge for pilots because of its unique approach with a 20 degree offset just before the runway.

In the year 2009 the base of the DRF rescue helicopter ‘Christoph 51’ was moved from Stuttgart airport to Pattonville airfield which has provided special value to medical care in the region and significantly increased the acceptance of the airfield in the neighborhood.

No matter if you like to fly rescue missions in a helicopter, if you’re looking for a challenging and unique approach or just want to have a good time in your glider, Pattonville airfield is perfect for every kind of pilot. But don’t forget to study the charts for a proper approach and departure briefing! Come and visit Pattonville today!

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Take-off and landing

A successful simulation includes not only a realistic visual representation of the airfields but also approach procedures based on real conditions. Therefore, the mandatory reporting points, over which arrivals and departures at Pattonville airfield take place, have also been accurately implemented. Due to noise protection reasons, the classic traffic pattern cannot be flown with motorized aircrafts, so pilots must adhere to designated arrival and departure routes and can demonstrate their skills even with unfamiliar flight procedures.

City and nature close together

In the immediate vicinity of the airfield, pilots are offered impressive views of the city of Ludwigsburg with its baroque castles to the north after take-off. Heading south, the state capital Stuttgart with its numerous parks and the distinctive television tower, which also serves as an entry point into the control zone of Stuttgart Airport, is reached in a short time. City and nature are close together here in southwestern Germany, so the Swabian Alb is also reached in a short time.

Rich in detail and functions

Like our airfields in US Idaho, we focused on quality for the Pattonville airfield and keep our standards high. In addition to detailed 3D models with high-resolution textures and LODs, the landscape of the airfield has been adapted to blend seamlessly into the surroundings and provide a coherent overall image. Animated 3D people that liven up the airfield complete the impression.

DRF Rescue helicopter

The Pattonville airfield offers a very special highlight for all pilots who enjoy flying in a helicopter. Since the DRF rescue helicopter “Christoph 51” was stationed in Pattonville, it takes off on over 1,000 rescue missions every year. This is a great chance to take off on new missions in the Microsoft Flight Simulator for a realistic simulation of medical care in the greater Stuttgart area.

Flying in the dark

A runway lighting system has been installed to ensure that the rescue helicopter can operate 24 hours a day and private pilots can also fly at night! As a result, the airfield can be used during all operating hours, especially during the winter months, and is no longer dependent on sunrise and sunset. Night VFR flights are an exciting challenge in the simulator!